Ayr Station Hotel fire: Teenagers charged over hotel blaze after spire and roofs collapsed

Two teenagers have been charged over a fire that has gutted a historic train station hotel in South Ayrshire.

Firefighters were still working on Tuesday morning to fully extinguish the blaze at the Ayr Station Hotel after being first alerted about the incident on Monday evening.

Two teenage boys, aged 17 and 13, have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

Supt Gillian Grant told the BBC: "We are aware of the significant disruption that this fire continues to cause for local residents in businesses in Ayr. I would urge people to be aware of the road closures and plan their journeys accordingly.

"I would ask people to avoid the area wherever possible to allow emergency services to work safely at the scene."

Further inquiries into the incident are ongoing.

Multiple crews were sent to deal with the fire at Ayr Station Hotel shortly after 5:30pm on Monday. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson (SFRS) later confirmed a total of 15 appliances were deployed to the scene to deal with the fire at its height.

The huge blaze broke out on Monday evening. Photo: Hugh Hill

Five appliances were still in attendance on Tuesday morning and Police Scotland said a number of road closures remained in place to allow them to do their work.

Eyewitnesses said on social media the fire had caused roofs and a spire to collapse.

ScotRail also confirmed the incident has caused disruption to local train services, with reports online of no trains getting into Ayr Station.

An SFRS spokesperson said on Tuesday morning: “We still have a number of firefighters on scene at a fire within the Station Hotel, Ayr. At present, this morning, Tuesday September 26, we have five appliances in total at the incident where crews are working to extinguish the fire.

The derelict Ayr Station Hotel had been served with a dangerous buildings notice because of its poor condition. Picture: N Hackett

“Initially, we were alerted at 5:37pm on Monday, September 25 to reports of a fire within the Station Hotel, Ayr. At its height, operations control mobilised 15 appliances to the scene.

“No casualties have been reported.”

A South Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are fighting the fire at the former Station Hotel. We will be guided by them in terms of public safety. The council will assess the structural integrity of the building when the fire has been extinguished.”

A fire had previously broken out at the historic building in May.

Campaigners Save Britain’s Heritage have previously called for the “splendid landmark” to be rescued.

Built in 1885 in a French chateau cum Scottish baronial style, the hotel has been derelict for ten years.

Its success prompted the Glasgow and South Western Railway company to build the Turnberry Hotel – now Trump Turnberry – in 1906.

The council served a dangerous building notice on the building in 2018.

The cost of restoring the hotel had been put at £9.95 million in October 2019.