Two teenagers have been charged in connection with an overnight blaze at Rosyth Sharks Rugby Club.
Bosses fear the fire at the Hartley Street club house could be the ‘final nail in the coffin’ after a year long closure.
The building was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Tuesday morning and three fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze.
There were no injuries.
Police confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that two teenagers, aged 13 and 14, have been charged and will be reported to the Children’s Reporter.
Local Community Sergeant Kate Blackwell of Dalgety Bay Police Station said :”It was very disappointing to wake to the news of a fire at such a well used local community facility.
“Officers carried out enquiries and quickly traced two youths who were responsible and they were both charged in connection with the fire.
“I would like to thank the public for their assistance.”
The fire has sparked fears for the future of the club but the community has rallied round and more than £3,500 has been donated to an online Crowdfunder.
Club president Ben Morris said seeing the fire, which he was alerted to at 4am, was “devastating”.
He said: “The fire started in the gym area of the clubhouse, we think between 3am and 4am.
“By the time I arrived just after 4am the fire service had extinguished most of the flames and were just dealing with any remaining embers at that time.
“I started with the club when I was 14 which is over 20 years ago so to see the club you have put so much into from a teenager painting the fencing every summer to becoming the president up in flames really was devastating.
“In all the years I have been involved we have never had any problems at the clubhouse apart from some vandalism which was really our fault as we had left the paint out.”
Ben set up the fundraiser due to fears about the club’s future and said the money raised by locals and the rugby community will be a “lifeline”.
“We have been shut now for coming up to a year with no income and still having to pay rent and insurances so the money we have in the account was really just for survival,” he said.
“Nobody had planned or accounted for something like a fire to take place which is why I decided to set up the fundraiser page.
“So far we have smashed £3,500 and have had generous donations from not only members of the club but also from those in the local community and also from those in the rugby community such as Dunfermline Rugby Club and clubs in Kirkcaldy reaching out to us to help.
“This money will really be a lifeline and hopefully will allow us to fix some of the damage and replace stock when we know exactly what needs to be replaced.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 3.26am on Tuesday, March 9 to reports of a fire affecting a commercial building on Harley Street, Rosyth.
“Operations control mobilised three appliances to the scene.
“Firefighters extinguished the fire and left after ensuring the area was made safe.
“There were no reported casualties.”