Thanks to the efforts of the Fire Service and demolition company some historic materials and further research material in the Bower Building have been rescued.

Further visits to the site on Saturday morning revealed that material in three labs relating to the work of about a dozen PhD students can be salvaged. Professor Richard Cogdell reports that this includes lab books and plant and seed cultures representing several years' work.

On Friday it was reported that working with lists provided by the University the Fire Service were able to retrieve historic books, pictures and memorabilia from some parts of the building. Items rescued included a signed engraving of Darwin, busts of Hooker and Walton, and rare wax model flowers. Microscopes and other equipment have also been retrieved and a copy of a letter from Hooker to Bower.

Experts from the Hunterian Art Gallery and Museum, the Library and Archives are working on the rescued items. Many of the books recovered have been sent for deep freezing prior to treatment.

Professor Cogdell, who is Hooker Professor of Botany, said: ""Thanks to the Fire Service and the salvage teams this has been a tremendous boost for morale. We have lost much but not everything.I am delighted for those students whose work is safe. Among the historic material I am particularly pleased to see the Darwin print and the bust of Hooker.

Demolition teams have removed some dangerous sections of the east gable of the building but the building itself will not be demolished. The other gables will be shored up and the building will be re-instated with the facia retained. This is expected to be a two-year project at an estimated cost of £6M plus equipment.

The Gilmorehill Campus is operating normally except for the immediate vicinity of the Bower Building. Everyone is asked to keep outwith the restricted area for their own safety.

The Botany Gate is closed and there are restrictions on vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the immediate area.

Teaching in the Faculty of Biomedical & Life Sciences (the affected faculty) largely returned to normal today. Information for IBLS undergraduates regarding teaching is posted at http://www.gla.ac.uk/ibls/US/burn.htm

Talks are underway on the relocation of the faculty's research groups which were housed in the Bower Building.

Investigations are still underway into the cause of the fire but the emergency services have ruled out both foul play and a fireworks accident.

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Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

photos are available at: http://www.gla.ac.uk/press/releases/photos

credit should read: University of Glasgow

First published: 29 October 2001