Major blow to plans for martial arts school in Larkhall after building fire

A man planning to start a martial arts school in Larkhall is telling us he's devastated after his new building went on fire in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Crews were called out to the blaze on Donaldson Road at around 12.50am and left nearly 5 hours later at around 5.55am when it had been extinguished.

Officers say they're treating the blaze as deliberate.

"The place is absolutely burnt to a crisp"

Sam Allen owns Rivals Gym and had just got the keys to the building less than a fortnight ago to start painting and decorating.

He exclusively told Clyde 1: "The place is absolutely burnt to a crisp, the roof fell down in the inside of the main hall and the reception area is totally black.

"My brother phoned me at first to tell me what had happened and I am absolutely gutted."

Inspectors from the fire service and South Lanarkshire Council will be assessing the damage caused before any repairs take place.

"People here haven't had anything like this for so long"

Sam was hoping to renovate the building so it can be used by all kinds of sports and recreational clubs in the town.

He added: "This is a deprived area and people here haven't had anything like this for so long with places shutting down.

"I've got no idea how much this is going to cost or what will happen, but I've got a good feeling the local community will get behind us."

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 12.50am on Monday, March 18 to reports of a building fire on Donaldson Road, Larkhall.

“Operations Control mobilised three appliances to the scene and crews extinguished a fire within a single storey.

"There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene at 5.55am after ensuring the area was made safe."

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