A 12-year-old boy has been charged after a fire ripped through a building in central Kilmarnock

A 12-year-old boy has been charged in connection with a devastating fire that tore through a four-storey building in the heart of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, reducing multiple businesses to ash and leaving part of the town centre in ruins.

The blaze broke out around 9:30pm on Monday evening, with flames rapidly engulfing the building on Sandbed Street. Emergency services responded swiftly, dispatching six fire engines and two specialist units to the scene. Crews fought through the night to bring the inferno under control, but the damage had already been done.

Though no injuries were reported, the fire caused an internal collapse of the structure, which is now deemed beyond repair. Demolition is expected in the coming days.

One of the hardest-hit businesses was the popular Hard Luck Tattoo Studio, whose owners said they had “lost everything.” The studio, a fixture in Kilmarnock’s creative scene, was completely destroyed. In the wake of the disaster, the local community has rallied together, raising thousands of pounds to help the business recover.

Police Scotland confirmed on Tuesday that a 12-year-old male has been arrested and charged in relation to the blaze. The boy, whose identity is protected due to his age, has been released on an undertaking to appear before Kilmarnock Sheriff Court later this month.

Officers are treating the fire as “wilful,” and investigations remain ongoing.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 12-year-old male has been arrested and charged in connection with a fire in Kilmarnock. Around 9.30pm on Monday, July 14, 2025, we received a report of a fire at a premises on Sandbed Street. There were no reported injuries. The youth has been released on an undertaking to appear at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court later this month. The fire is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.”

The incident has sent shockwaves through the town, with locals expressing disbelief that someone so young could be involved in such a destructive act.

“I walked past there every day,” said one resident. “To see it blackened and gutted — it’s heartbreaking. And to think it was a child? It just makes you sick.”

The fire service praised the swift work of their crews, who managed to contain the flames and prevent further spread to adjoining properties, but said the scale of the damage was “significant and structural.”

Images from the scene show charred debris, collapsed floors, and a shell of the once-bustling building. Business owners, including tattoo artists, shopkeepers, and café staff, have been left facing ruin.

Hard Luck Tattoo Studio has since launched an online fundraising campaign, which had already raised thousands within 24 hours of going live. “We’re absolutely gutted — emotionally and literally,” the studio wrote on social media. “But we’re so thankful for everyone’s support.”

As the criminal investigation continues, police are appealing to anyone who may have information to come forward. Officers are particularly keen to speak with anyone who was in the Sandbed Street area between 8:30pm and 10:00pm on the night of the fire.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 3692 of July 14, 2025,” said the spokesperson.

For now, the centre of Kilmarnock bears the scars of a night that changed it forever — a towering ruin, the community’s pain still smouldering.