THE architects who oversaw the restoration of the Mackintosh Building have told MSPs of their devastation at its second ruinous fire.

Page\Park Architects, in their written submission to the culture committee of the Scottish Parliament, said they feel a “deep and enduring regret” that fire protection measures failed.

David Page, the director of the architects, as well as the managing director of the building contractors, Keir Scotland, Brian McQuade, are due to appear before the Culture Committee tomorrow.

The architects, retained by the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) as conservation experts for ‘the Mack’ since the early 1990s, said the second fire at the world-famous building was an “an appalling event which has left our dedicated team of conservation architects completely shattered.”

The company's submission also adds more insight into which fire-prevention and detection systems had been chosen to protect the building.

The firm insists that it had learned lessons from the first fire, which consumed much of the building’s west end in 2014, after a hot projector ignited foam in a student’s artwork.

It notes: “We had carried forward lessons from the fire of 2014 to ensure that the restored building would be properly fire protected and we required the contractor to put in place appropriate fire protection measures during the construction process.

“It is a matter of deep and enduring regret that these measures were unsuccessful and, like the members of this committee and all others in Glasgow, Scotland and beyond who have an interest in this appalling event, we also need to understand precisely what happened and we await the outcome of the investigation by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.”

The architects say that at the time of the June fire, the reconstruction and conservation works in the building were well advanced, and were due to be completed early next year.

It adds: “The installation of the fire mist suppression system and air aspirating smoke detection system, as well as mechanical and electrical installation, were proceeding in accordance with the agreed plans and programme, under the management of the contractor.”