Fire-hit factory in Springburn in Glasgow labelled a hazard

Residents say the disused factory on Petershill Road in Springburn – known locally as the old Germiston Works - is being used by youths to house illegal underground raves which are rife with drug taking and underage drinking.

Neighbouring businesses have also hit out, with bosses at one saying it is only a matter of time before someone is badly hurt or killed after a string of arson attacks.

A massive blaze at the site at the beginning of June raged for over 11 hours, causing disruption across the area as firefighters and police closed a number of surrounding roads – and now locals say they have had enough.

Fire crews tackle a blaze at the disused factory (Image: Colin Mearns)

The land has housed factories since 1892 and was most recently operated as a production plant by Belgian-based Promat to make fire resistant boards for the construction industry, airports and shopping malls. The firm closed the factory in 2014 after relocating its operation overseas.

Raj Sinha is group managing director with SWGR, which has a wide range of clients in the rail, construction, oil and gas industries. Their headquarters sits adjacent to the disused building and Mr Sinha is calling for steps to be taken to secure the site or for it to be flattened for redevelopment.

Raj Sinha (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

He said: “The fire last week was the final straw for me. It demonstrated just how hazardous this old factory has become - it now poses a real risk to safety.

“It’s a complete eyesore and has been badly neglected since shutting down. It is now used as a dumping ground for fly-tipping and there has been a number of illegal raves there. Groups of youths also break in and use it as somewhere to go and drink or take drugs - and it's only getting worse.

“We’ve tried in vain to trace the landlords without success. It can’t be left like this, it is a death-trap and we are concerned that it’s just a matter of time before something extremely serious happens.

“Someone needs to take accountability and responsibility immediately.”

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Springburn ward councillor Thomas Rannachan and Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney are both fighting to have the area secured and are currently working with the Land Registry Office in Edinburgh to try and track down the owners.

Mr Rannachan said: “We need to find them first and then for them to engage with us to redevelop the land.

“It could be a real asset to the community, but right now, it is a danger and poses a real risk. Fires are being started which then cause massive disruption to surrounding businesses and residents as roads are closed and people are unable to get to their work.

“The main priority just now is to try and secure the site and make it safe. It could be that the council needs to look at a compulsory purchase order but every avenue is being explored right now to see what can be done.”

The Glasgow Times understands that officers from the council’s building standards department visited the site earlier this week and found it is not in danger of collapse.

Mr Sweeney added: “I share Councillor Rannachan’s concerns. People are worried about the building’s past as a former asbestos factory and are rightly worried that when fires are being started that their health could be at risk.

“It’s a site with a very rich industrial history and heritage, but it has been taken over by basically absentee landlords. It has been in a state of abandonment for almost 10 years, which is sad because it could be put to good use.

MSP Paul Sweeney (Image: NQ)

“I’m getting inquiries all the time from big firms who want to establish bases in Glasgow and create high-quality engineering jobs. This is a huge site, one of the biggest of its type in the city, and it presents a real opportunity."

The Glasgow Times understands the last-known owners were two brothers who were in their 90s, but so far campaigners have been unable to trace or contact them.

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Mr Sweeney adds: “It has become a bit of an unsolved mystery.”

The factory and its surrounding outbuildings have also become a haven for so-called ‘urban explorers’, who have posted photos of the hazardous interior on the 28dayslater website – alongside a warning about the dangerous condition of the sprawling site.

A string of images and posts show broken pipes, shattered glass and collapsing platforms inside the factory, as well as the charred exterior of some of the buildings after the string of recent fires.

Mr Sweeney added: “These highlight exactly the reason why the site needs to be made safe.”