A church in Glasgow temporarily closes after the discovery of potentially hazardous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RACC) in the majority of the church building.
Colston Milton Parish Church took to social media to announce to its parishioners the church closure as well as the subsequent inspection of the church building.
“It is with sadness that we must temporarily close our church hall due to the suspected presence of RAAC concrete panels in much of the building,” the church wrote in a statement shared Tuesday on its Facebook page.
“We are awaiting further inspections to assess the safety of the structure, but until these have been completed we cannot allow any public use of the building, for hall users or our own worship activities.”
“We know this will be a real blow to the many people who use our building throughout the week, from seniors keep fit, the racket youth project, tai chi, majorettes, guitars, parents and toddlers and BB and those who gather as part of the church family on a Sunday.”
RAAC, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, is considered a potentially dangerous material as it is less durable than concrete, and is prone to collapse when wet, as moisture soaks into its aerated holes.
The community was grieved by the news and expressed their sentiments on social media in the hopes that the church would soon reopen.
One person wrote: “Such sad news. I hope the closure isn’t for too long. First, the main church building with flat roof issues (now flats), and then this. Really hoping for good news, and soon.”
Another added: “Ouch, Colston Church was my second home; dad said I only slept and ate at home. Met my hubby there, married there. Both children christened there, and my dad was an Elder, I was in the brownies and guides and was the guider as I got older, great days.”
More than 100 schools in England have been told to take action due to concern over the existence of RACC concrete.