A COMMUNITY has been left “devastated” after a container storing items used for events across North Glasgow was damaged in a fire and then ransacked by thieves.
The storage container, which is located on Bilsland Drive in Ruchill, was damaged after a fly-tipped bed left next to it was set alight on the afternoon of Friday, July 8.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) responded to the blaze and extinguished the flames which had spread to the container, causing fire and smoke damage to the contents.
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Unfortunately, damage caused to the doors also meant people were able to gain access to it and items were stolen in the following days.
The container stored items such as gazebos, tables, deck chairs, Christmas lights, a Santa suit, an Easter Bunny costume and a hot tea urn which were used for events and were also available for people to borrow.
Roisin Craig, centre manager at St Matthew’s Centre which is one of the key delivery partners for the storage unit, was alerted to the damage on Friday, July 22, by which time many items had been taken.
She said: “I was gutted, it was not a nice day.
“We had spent so long building it up and putting a lot of work into it and then it was destroyed overnight.
“Between the fire and us being notified of it, it had been about two weeks.
“In that time, with the container not being secured, people have obviously started to go in. So although quite a lot of the stuff was damaged and destroyed, there was very little that we salvaged because everything else had been taken.”
They were only able to salvage smoke-damaged water weights, which were used for the gazebos, and a shelving unit.
Brian Land, who became involved with the project through his previous role as a community connector for Thriving Places in Ruchill and Possilpark, said the items in the community-owned container, which was donated by Hamiltonhill Nursery, had been important to people across the Canal Ward, particularly during the pandemic.
He said: “Through Covid we seen a need for people meeting outside safely.
“We saw families in hospitals meeting in the gazebos and outdoor spaces and we thought we could do that within the community and get people out and about and get them chatting, give out food in the street to help people know that there were still things going on.”
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He continued: “People are devastated because they knew what it had been used for, they saw us out and about.
“At the canal, the Claypits, Saracen Cross, all over the place we turned up, threw up tables, chairs and basically served people hot teas and coffees and hot chocolates, and people really appreciated that because they couldn’t go into buildings to do anything, but they could walk along and meet people.
“We had people booking the gazebos out for parties just in their garden and people who couldn’t get family into their house were booking them and putting them outside so they could sit and have dinner outside with their families during Covid, so they did help people through really, really hard times.
“It was well received so these people have said it’s devastating news.”
The contents of the container was not covered by insurance and due to the container itself being donated, it is not yet clear if the insurance company will be able to replace it without a receipt.
Roisin said: “It just takes away from the community.
“That’s not harming big businesses, it’s not harming individual organisations, it’s harming the community.
“The stuff that was in there was all for the benefit of the community and it was all stuff that we used to create really nice community events.”
She added: “It wasn’t a harmless event.
“Somebody might think that setting a mattress on fire is a laugh and that it’s harmless and it’s not going to hurt anybody, but it hurts them.
“The only damage they’ve done is to themselves and the community.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 12.45pm on Friday, July 8 to a report of a fire inside a commercial storage container at Bilsland Road, Glasgow.
“Operations control mobilised one fire appliance and firefighters extinguished the fire before the crew left after they had ensured the area was made safe.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “An investigation is under way following a report of a theft from a container in Bilsland Drive and enquiries are ongoing.”
Anyone who would like to donate money or items is asked to contact Roisin via email at admin@stmatthewscentre.co.uk.
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