Glasgow's historic School of Art is gutted by fire for the SECOND time in four years: Blaze rips through Rennie Mackintosh building in the middle of £35MILLION project to restore the damage from 2014 inferno

• School's Mackintosh building on fire last night - four years after a similar blaze tore through the instituion
• At least 20 fire engines on site battled the out-of-control blaze in city centre with flames visible for 10 miles
• School evacuated along with part of busy Sauchiehall Street - witnesses said the flames were 50ft high

A major fire ravaged the Glasgow School of Art building last night, with residents reported seeing flames visible for more than 10 miles. 

Dozens of firefighters were on site trying to extinguish the blaze as the school was evacuated along with part of busy Sauchiehall Street.

Hundreds of residents spilled out on to the streets to watch in horror after the fire started about 11.20pm in the landmark institution on Friday.

A huge fire is raging through the Glasgow School of Art with smoke billowing flames visible for more than 10 miles

Dozens of firefighters were on sight trying to extinguish the blaze as the school was evacuated along with part of busy Sauchiehall Street

Firefighters put ladders against the building to douse from close range while others used at least six high-pressure hoses to spray from farther range. 

At least 20 fire engines are on site and witnesses said flames were licking 50ft into the air within minutes of it starting.

There were fears the fire could spread to neighbouring buildings in the tightly-packed Victorian era district. 

Hundreds of residents spilled out on to the streets to watch in horror after the fire started about 11.20pm in the landmark institution on Friday

The school's Mackintosh building was severely damaged by another fire just four years ago and was still being repaired

There were fears the fire could spread to neighbouring buildings in the tightly-packed Victorian era district

The new fire ignited just days after the 150th birthday of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the architect who designed the building that bares his name

Firefighters attend to a blazScottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'Thoughts with you GSofA - I know [firefighters] will be doing everything they can.'e at the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art

Firefighters attend to a blaze at the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art,

The school's Mackintosh building was severely damaged by another fire just four years ago and was still being repaired. 

The building in the city centre was not due to reopen to students until September 2019 after a £35 million restoration - which has now gone up in flames. 

The new fire ignited just days after the 150th birthday of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the architect who designed the building that bares his name. 

Hundreds of residents spilled out on to the streets to watch in horror as the fire rampaged across the landmark institution

The fire spread quickly throughout the building complex appearing the consume all of it

There were fears the fire could spread to neighbouring buildings in the tightly-packed Victorian era district

'There is a fire at the Mackintosh Building. The fire brigade are currently on scene. We will report back with news updates as soon as possible,' the school said.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'Thoughts with you GSofA - I know [firefighters] will be doing everything they can.'

Glasgow North East MP Paul Sweeney tweeted: '(Firefighters) are doing everything they can to salvage the most architecturally important building in Glasgow.'

Herald Scotland's David Pratt said the blaze was much bigger than the 2014 fire and might completely destroy the building. 

'It's a horrendous thing to watch the building being ravaged all over again. I think the Mackintosh building is finished. It's absolutely finished,' he said.

A huge pillar of smoke could be see bursting into the night sky miles away form the fire