Dysart Sailing Club members convinced devastating fire was started deliberately
A popular Fife sailing club has been destroyed by what appears to have been a deliberate fire.
- By Claire Warrender
- Published in the Courier : 25.01.12
- Published online : 25.01.12 @ 10.45am
Members of the Dysart club are said to be devastated by the blaze in the early hours of Saturday, which caused an estimated £80,000 of damage.
It is unclear whether the remains of the 19th-century listed building at Dysart harbour can be saved, and some sailors have lost hundreds of pounds worth of equipment.
A section of the region's award-winning coastal path has also had to be closed in light of safety concerns following the 3am blaze, which firefighters battled for two hours.
Fife Constabulary confirmed the circumstances of the fire were suspicious and appealed for witnesses to come forward.
Dysart Sailing Club secretary Jim Swan told The Courier he was convinced the blaze had been set deliberately using petrol stolen from a nearby shed. Members have offered a small reward for any information which helps police trace those responsible.
''A wee fisherman's hut further along had been broken into that night and petrol for outboard motors was stolen,'' he said. ''They found one of the empty petrol tins lying empty.''
Known as the Oil Shed, the clubhouse sits below a sheer cliff in the heart of the village's conservation area. It was built in 1835 as a base to process whale blubber, at a time when Kirkcaldy had a thriving whaling fleet.
The sailing club moved in 1995 after an extensive refurbishment when its original base at the Harbourmaster's House was deemed no longer suitable.
''We've lost everything,'' said Mr Swan. ''Between club property and members' property it's about £80,000 worth.''
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