Police probe cause of fire at Glasgow affordable homes tenement
Police are investigating a fire at a newly-refurbished affordable housing tenement in Glasgow. Local officials have condemned the incident, which followed online misinformation falsely claiming the building would house asylum seekers.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the real-world consequences of online disinformation and the challenges of managing social tensions regarding housing and immigration.
Image source, Natalia Kazmierczak Image caption, The roof of the building in Possilpark was destroyed by the fire
The cause of a fire that broke out at a newly-refurbished housing association tenement in Glasgow is under investigation, police have said.
The building in Stonyhurst Street, Possilpark - which was derelict for 20 years - had received £3m to be renovated as affordable homes.
Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney claimed the blaze was started deliberately on Sunday following "disinformation" that the flats would be used for asylum seekers.
Housing association NG Homes, which owns the block, dismissed the rumours and said the flats would provide "much-needed" homes for people on its waiting list.
The fire broke out in a fourth floor flat at about 16:50 on Sunday. No-one was injured.
Pictures on social media showed the building covered in scaffolding with flames emerging from the roof.
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