BBC Scotland programming on TV and radio was disrupted for a time this morning after a fire broke out at the broadcaster’s headquarters building at Pacific Quay in Glasgow.
A fire alarm sounded at around 6.30am prompting an immediate evacuation of the building.
Emergency services arrived on the scene within minutes.
The fire occurred in a plant room at the top of the building. It was discovered by security staff.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that an air conditioning system located on the fifth floor of the building had caught fire.
The fire alarm took BBC Radio Scotland off air shortly after 6.30am. The station was broadcasting a news bulletin when a report was faded out and replaced with music from an emergency tape.
Music and regular pre-recorded apologies were broadcast until 7am, when BBC Radio Scotland began simulcasting BBC Radio 5 Live.
Staff were allowed to return to the Pacific Quay building shortly before 8.30am.
BBC Radio Scotland resumed broadcasting at 8.35am.
On television, BBC One Scotland’s breakfast news bulletins did not go out at 6.55am, 7.30am, 7.55am or 8.25am.
Instead, Scottish viewers received BBC London. The presenter of the London programme welcomed Scottish viewers at the start of bulletins at 7.30am, 7.55am and 8.25am.
The main BBC Breakfast programme also mentioned the fire at the BBC Scotland building.
BBC News Scotland TV news bulletins resumed at 9.15am.
AUDIO: BBC Radio Scotland suspends live programming during a news bulletin and plays its emergency tape – at c. 6.32am – due to a fire alarm and evacuation of its Glasgow headquarters (edited clip). TX DATE: 1st December 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
AUDIO: coming up to 7am, the BBC Radio Scotland emergency tape gives way to a simulcast of BBC Radio 5 Live. TX DATE: 1st December 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
AUDIO: BBC Radio 5 Live welcomes listeners to BBC Radio Scotland. TX DATE: 1st December 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
AUDIO: BBC Radio Scotland resumes broadcasting at 8.35am following an earlier fire alarm and evacuation. TX DATE: 1st December 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
VIDEO: BBC London presenter welcomes viewers in Scotland who were seeing the London programme following the suspension of Scottish news bulletins due to the fire at BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow. TX DATE: 1st December 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
VIDEO: BBC Breakfast mentions fire at BBC Scotland headquarters. TX DATE: 1st December 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
VIDEO: BBC News Scotland TV news bulletins resume within BBC Breakfast following a fire at BBC Scotland’s headquarters in Glasgow. TX DATE: 1st December 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
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FEATURE IMAGE:
PICTURED: fire at BBC Scotland headquarters at Pacific Quay in Glasgow. COPYRIGHT: TBC.
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