A SENIOR fire fighter has spoken of his first sight of the Glasgow School of Art fire.

Deputy Chief Officer Iain Bushell was called at midnight last Friday night to be told a fire was underway in the City Centre.

He first saw the flames from the M8 motorway as he raced towards the scene.

Mr Bushell said: "The first fire call to us was a little after 11.20pm on Friday night.

"I was called and started my way here a little around midnight.

"I live just north of the city of Glasgow and as I was coming down the motorway I could see the glow in the sky from the fire even from eight or nine miles away so I could tell this was going to be a significant fire and as I came closer, as I came round on the M8, you could see the flames, the smoke, and it was obviously a very significant fire that was occuring.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) officer Mr Bushell took Community Safety Minister Annabelle Ewing on a tour of the GSoA yesterday.

He spoke from the scene following the tour and said fire crews have been helping those evacuated from their homes get back in safely to retrieve valuable items and medicines.

They have also been helping students get into other Glasgow School of Art buildings to retrieve work. 

He added: "It has been heart warming to see the efforts continuing of all of our crews even several days into the incident of they take value in our community and assist them and try to get this community back to normal."