A FIRE safety expert has told MSPs he is “incredibly puzzled” as to why a mist suppression system that survived the first Glasgow School of Art fire was removed before the second blaze.
The Scottish Parliament’s Culture Committee gathered to continue its probe into the June 2018 incident at the world-famous Mackintosh building in Glasgow.
It struck as repair work following a blaze four years earlier was nearing completion.
And Stephen Mackenzie, an independent fire, security and resilience adviser, said he was confused to hear the mist suppression system had been taken out.
Though incomplete at the time of the unprecedented 2014 fire, architect and GSA director of professional studies Gordon Gibb has claimed it could have provided protection for the latter incident.
Yesterday, LibDem Tavish Scott asked Mackenzie if there “would have been a good argument for retaining that system until such time as other things were developed?”
Mackenzie responded: “There should have been a temporary or phased installation and that could’ve been part of that basis. I’m incredibly puzzled to now hear that this has occurred.”
The art school said it was told the system was unusable following the blaze, but “no such system could have been operational” in the “Mack” building before building work had finished.
The committee was also told ventilation ducts which allowed the 2014 fire to spread had not been blocked by last June, and were scheduled to take place at the end of restoration work.
Conservation architect Dawson Stelfox said current fire safety assessments during construction focus on life safety, but not on protecting buildings.
He went on: “It is worth the committee looking at changes to requirements and fire safety assessments during the construction period to also take into account fire asset safety and fire spread.”
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) also said it could not help pay for for a new build of the Mack as its grants only cover work on existing historic fabric.
After the session, a Glasgow School of Art spokesperson said HES experts “have an extensive working knowledge of the building and project, unlike that of other witnesses”.
The statement continued: “The specific submission from Stephen Mackenzie would appear to have not been based on a thorough analysis of the GSA’s own written submission and oral evidence.”
The committee will now prepare its findings. Convener Joan McAlpine said: “Serious concerns have been raised about the safe-guarding of the Mackintosh building and the decisions made by organisations that had involvement in conserving this cultural jewel.
“Change needs to happen in order to prevent something of this nature happening to another of Scotland’s historical buildings.”
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