Key Points
- Incident Overview: Emergency services were alerted to a vehicle fire at the Tesco Extra superstore located on Maryhill Road, Glasgow, on the afternoon of Friday, 21 August 2026.
- Emergency Response: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) dispatched two appliances to the location after receiving an emergency call at 4:21 pm.
- Store Evacuation: The superstore was evacuated, with staff and shoppers fleeing the premises due to dense black smoke billowing from the underground car park underneath the main retail building.
- Eyewitness Reports: Witnesses reported “total panic” during the evacuation as smoke drifted across Maryhill Road, with early reports suggesting the vehicle involved may be an electric model.
- Current Status: Fire crews remain on site to extinguish the blaze, while Police Scotland have cordoned off the car park and managed surrounding traffic disruption.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) August 21, 2026 – Firefighters are currently tackling a vehicle fire inside an underground car park at a Tesco Extra superstore in Glasgow, which caused a mass evacuation of staff and customers amidst thick black smoke on Friday afternoon.
Emergency services were called to the uk/local/maryhill/">Maryhill Road branch at approximately 4:21 pm following urgent reports of a car bursting into flames beneath the store structure.
Two fire engines were immediately dispatched to the scene by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading to adjacent parked vehicles and the main superstore above.
How Did the Fire Start and What Was the Emergency Response?
The precise cause of the fire remains unconfirmed by official investigators, although local witnesses at the scene noted that the vehicle involved appeared to be an electric model.
Plumes of dark smoke were seen emerging from the under-building parking entrance, rising above the retail roof and drifting across Maryhill Road, severely affecting visibility and traffic conditions in the surrounding area.
As reported by Gareth Edwards and Edward Easton of the Daily Star, a official spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the initial call details, stating:
“We received a call at 4.21pm to reports of a car on fire at the Tesco supermarket on Maryhill Road in Glasgow. We mobilised two appliances and are still at the scene.”
Video footage published by STV News showed a vehicle fully engulfed in flames in the underground parking space, surrounded by dozens of stationary vehicles, as firefighters worked to establish containment lines. Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service were also called to assist with scene safety, crowd control, and cordoning off the entry and exit points of the site.
What Did Eyewitnesses Experience During the Evacuation?
The rapid accumulation of heavy smoke inside the underground space triggered immediate evacuation protocols, causing alarm among shoppers inside the retail hall. Store management and security staff quickly moved customers away from checkout areas and out into the main parking forecourt and surrounding pavements.
As reported by energy consultant Ryan, aged 26, to Glasgow Live, the scene unfolded rapidly as he arrived in the area:
“I was just coming home on the bus and I saw the smoke which looked like it was coming out the roof of the Tesco store. Then when I rounded the corner to get to my flat I saw it was a car on fire. It looks like an electric car, although I’ve no idea how it started. The staff and customers were being evacuated and it was total panic. They are just standing outside now waiting for the firefighters to finish.”
Another local resident, posting on a community Facebook page as cited by the Daily Star, urged people to avoid the immediate route:
“There is a fire in the car park of the big Tesco on Maryhill Road. The smoke is travelling across the street. The Fire Service and Police are here.”
What Operational Steps Did Tesco Take?
Following the commencement of the emergency response, Tesco confirmed that the Maryhill Road superstore was closed to the public until further notice. Staff members assisted emergency workers in ensuring that no members of the public remained inside the main retail areas or near the lower-level parking access routes.
Police Scotland officers established perimeter cordons along Maryhill Road to allow unrestricted access for additional fire engines and support units, leading to localized traffic congestion in the north-west district of Glasgow during peak evening commuting hours.
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Background of the Particular Development
Subterranean and covered multi-storey car parks present distinct structural and operational challenges for fire services when a vehicle catches fire. Because these spaces possess limited natural ventilation, thermal containment causes temperatures to rise rapidly, while toxic smoke and particulate matter concentrate quickly within the structure.
Over recent years, the growing prevalence of alternative fuel vehicles—including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids—has led to revised operational protocols for fire crews across the United Kingdom. Lithium-ion battery fires, though statistically less frequent than conventional internal combustion engine fires, burn at significantly higher temperatures and present risks of thermal runaway, re-ignition, and prolonged toxic gas release.
As a result, incidents in enclosed spaces require substantial water supplies, specialized monitoring gear, and rapid store clearances to protect public health from thermal radiation and air toxicity.
Prediction:
This incident is expected to produce several immediate and medium-term impacts across distinct stakeholder groups in North West Glasgow:
- Local Residents and Commuters: In the immediate short term, traffic delays along the Maryhill Road corridor—a vital artery connecting central Glasgow to the northern suburbs—will likely persist while police manage emergency vehicle staging and air monitoring. Local residents downwind of the site may face temporary safety advisories to keep windows closed until smoke disperses completely.
- Tesco Customers and Supply Chain: The temporary closure of the Maryhill Extra store will disrupt routine grocery access for thousands of local households who rely on this location daily. Depending on the extent of smoke contamination to retail stock and potential structural heat damage to the underground floor, the facility may face an extended multi-day operational shutdown for safety inspections, inventory clearance, and air scrubbing.
- Infrastructure and Property Owners: Building control surveyors and structural engineers will need to assess the concrete integrity and overhead utility networks within the car park before reopening the facility. This event may prompt commercial property managers across Scotland to review emergency extraction systems, thermal imaging monitoring, and fire isolation procedures in covered parking spaces.
