Flames could be seen through the scorched windows and billowing out of the
roof of the sandstone building on the corner of Renfrew Street and Scott
Street in Glasgow’s city centre.

The building serves several hundreds of students and has become a tourist
attraction in its own right.

Construction work started on the building in 1897 after Mackintosh won a
design competition while working for Glasgow architects Honeyman and Keppie.

^{Mackintosh’s Glasgow School of Art is a popular tourist attraction in the
city (REX FEATURES)}

It took around 10 years to complete due to funding issues and several
alterations were made by Mackintosh during the process.

It also attracts about 20,000 visitors each year, who are taken on tours of
the building, according to the School of Art website.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh is one of Scotland’s most renowned architects who
played a key role in bringing Art Nouveau architecture to the British Isles.

Other popular Mackintosh designs in his home town of Glasgow include the
Lighthouse, the Willow Tearooms and House For An Art Lover in Bellahouston
Park.

A post on Twitter from the School of Art said: “The Mackintosh building
is on fire, all have been evacuated we will post updates as we get
them. Currently setting up an incident number.”

Shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran used the social networking site to
say she had “just heard about terrible fire at Glasgow School of Art”,
adding: “Hope people are safe.”

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who is an MSP for the Glasgow region, said
the blaze was “dreadful news”, describing the art school building
as “one of Glasgow’s finest”.

Austin Yuill, who works as a chef at the art school, told the BBC: “I’ve
been moved two streets away from the Mackintosh building but before we left
the place was completely ablaze all down the west side of the building.

“I’m told it started in the basement and it’s worked its way all the way
up through the five floors. As far as I know it started from a spark which
has gone on to foam, expanding foam.”

Asked how busy the art school was, he said: “It would be very busy
because we’re working up to the end-of-year assessments, so all the students
were installing their work today all over the Mackintosh building. There are
a lot of very upset students here.”

He added: “Quite apart from it being voted the best building of the last
175 years, it is a major tourist draw and has an incredible reputation as an
art school. This is really terrible.”

^{Flames burst through the windows of the historic Arts and Crafts building
(CRAIG WATSON/SNS)}

Hugh Thornhill, a second year student, said: “I was helping one of the
fourth years set up their exhibit and suddenly the alarm went off. We didn’t
think it was anything but we had to go out and then we saw smoke coming out
and realised that it was really bad.

“It got to the point where flames were coming out of the top floor. All
that effort is gone, everyone’s work on that side of the building is ruined.
Even if it didn’t catch fire it will be damaged extensively.

“The degree show next month is pretty much a bust now, it’s sad.”

Second year student Clare Reilly said: “Four years of work is gone for
all those students, the deadline was at 5pm today.

“Even the archive and library in there will be gone. There’s so much work
and history in the building and it’s gone. I’ve got two years to go but we
might not be allowed back in.”

Glasgow School of Art has produced a host of famous alumni across the creative
fields over the past 165 years.

As well as renowned artists, former students include members of the bands
Travis and Franz Ferdinand, and actors Peter Capaldi and Robbie Coltrane.

Several winners of the prestigious Turner Prize studied at Glasgow School of
Art (GSA), including Martin Boyce, who scooped the prize in 2011 for his
installation Do Words Have Voices, beating what critics felt was the
strongest shortlist for many years.