THE property developer behind a tenement in Glasgow that was allegedly set on fire has hit out at the “false claims” that it was being renovated to house migrants.
NG Homes had been turning a building on Stonyhurst Street in Possilpark into affordable housing when a blaze broke out in the tenement on Sunday at around 5pm.
Six fire engines and specialist resources were sent to tackle the fire, and two remained at the scene on Monday morning to dampen down the remaining hotspots.
For months ahead of the blaze, rumours had been circulating online about the building’s future use, including that it could house asylum seekers.
One group that spread the claims was the “Spartan Child Protection Team”, a hard-right vigilante group, which alleged in a Facebook video, while the fire was still burning, that the building had been “the source of a lot of chat that it’s being refurbished to house unvetted migrants”.
A spokesperson for the group said in the video: “The community had asked many times who are you refurbing it for, is it for local people who have been on housing lists for years, or is it for somebody else, and they were declined answers many times … so it now looks like something or somebody has taken it upon themselves to destroy that building.”
Last month, NG Homes did in fact issue a public statement saying that the refurbishment was to provide housing for local people on waiting lists.
The developer issued a further statement on Monday, reaffirming that the property would be turned into affordable housing.
“We are aware that disinformation has circulated regarding the future use of the homes and would once again stress that these claims are false,” a NG Homes spokesperson said.
“The buildings are being refurbished to provide much-needed affordable homes and, as we have previously stated, these properties will be allocated in line with our Allocations Policy and Scottish housing legislation from our existing housing list.
“As a registered social landlord, we do not allocate housing to people who are not legally eligible for it, and all applications are assessed in accordance with the relevant legal requirements.”
Along with praising the emergency services for their “swift response,” the spokesperson said NG Homes will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities as enquiries into the blaze continue.
They added that the extent of the damage is still being assessed, and that it is “too early to confirm the impact on project timescales”.
The spokesperson continued: “Our focus remains on supporting the investigation and progressing the delivery of these much-needed homes for the Possilpark community as quickly as possible.”
John Swinney has vowed “all the force of the law” will be applied if the fire is found to be deliberate.
The First Minister said: “The cause of the fire is not yet known, there will have to be a full investigation by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
“But I am familiar with the information that’s been circulating about the suggestion that this could have been wilful fireraising, because of concern that the accommodation was to host migrants.
“Now, whether that’s the case or not, it is completely and utterly unacceptable, because wilful fireraising is a criminal offence in our society.
“Those involved should be apprehended, whatever the circumstances and whether this accommodation was to be used to house migrants or not, this type of behaviour is completely and utterly unacceptable and it must be addressed.”
The First Minister’s comments come after some far-right groups online celebrated the fire.
“No be moving the migrants in now,” one person wrote on social media alongside a laughing emoji. “If you have rats you need to burn them out,” another added.
“I’m in the mood for dancin” 🚨BREAKING: MIGRANT APARTMENTS ON FIRE IN GLASGOW The authorities renovated this block just to tell locals it was for migrants only Not any more... Stoneyhurst Street, Possilpark, Glasgow The locals have sent a message NO. MORE. MIGRANTS.… pic.twitter.com/wUCNxG8CqC
— Patriot Network (@PatriotNetworkx) September 6, 2026
Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney said he was part of a group of elected representatives who secured funding for the formerly derelict building to be used to ease the city’s housing woes, with properties to be given to those on the waiting list of NG Homes.
Sweeney hit out at those celebrating the fire, saying: “People spreading malicious disinformation are trying to wreck the improvement of our community in Possilpark. Listen to the facts.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 5.30pm on Sunday, 6 September, we received a report of a fire in an empty building on Stonyhurst Street in Glasgow.
“Emergency services attended and the fire was put out by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. No one was injured.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
