Flames and smoke are seen billowing from building designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Firefighters are tackling a major blaze at a historic building at one of Europe's leading art schools.

The fire at Glasgow School of Art's Charles Rennie Mackintosh building was reported at about 12.30pm.

The Scottish fire and rescue service said four appliances had been immediately sent from Cowcaddens, Yorkhill and Maryhill fire stations, and firefighters were on scene within four minutes.

Smoke could be seen billowing from the roof of the building and flames coming from some windows on the upper floors.

A post on Twitter from the school said: "The Mackintosh building is on fire, all have been evacuated & we will post updates as we get them. Currently setting up an incident number."

Flames could be seen through the scorched windows and billowing out of the roof of the sandstone building on the corner of Renfrew Street and Scott Street.

Six fire engines were at the scene and crews on a laddered platform blasted the flames with a water jet.

The broadcaster Muriel Gray, a former student and current chairwoman of the school, arrived and burst into tears when she saw the building in flames.

The Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh building before the fire. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Europe

The Mackintosh design is a listed building and is a tourist attraction in its own right. Construction work started on the building in 1897 after Mackintosh won a design competition while working for the Glasgow architects Honeyman and Keppie.

It took about 10 years to complete because of funding problems and several alterations were made by Mackintosh during the process.

More than a century later it remains a working building serving hundreds of students.

It also attracts about 20,000 visitors each year, who are taken on tours of the building, according to the school's website.

Other popular Mackintosh designs in his home town of Glasgow include the Lighthouse, the Willow Tearooms and House for an Art Lover in Bellahouston Park.

The Scottish culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said on Twitter: "Serious concern about fire at Glasgow School of Art."

The shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran tweeted that she had "just heard about terrible fire at Glasgow School of Art", adding: "Hope people are safe."

The Scottish Tory leader, Ruth Davidson, who is an MSP for the Glasgow region, said the blaze was "dreadful news", describing the building as "one of Glasgow's finest".