Ruigh Aiteachain at the time when the toilet and the sceptic tank was being installed. The night that the bothy was nearly burned down.
I retired early to the then sleeping area upstairs. The other members, including the president?, together with the estate folks who had provided invaluable help with the installation through the use of their JCB. A considerable amount of the scottish liquid had been consumed prior to me going upstairs. I fell asleep and during this time more alcohol was taken and great amounts of the off-cut timbers were loaded overenthusiastically onto the open fire. The consequence was that I was fortunately awakened by the crackling of the on fire roof timber.
I grabbed my sleeping bag and somehow got downstairs shouting that the place was on fire. Immediately a chain gang with pots, pans and whatever we could get to hold water into the bothy and upstairs to a couple of 'front line' guys, who ruined their clothing and got some burned skin, and who somehow got control of the fire. A very close call.
The next day was spent repointing the internal chimney stonework and bracing a few of the badly damaged roof woodwork. Some years before this incident the bothy had another close call....in the days when petrol and paraffin stoves were used widely. We arrived late and got some sleeping space downstairs. Upstairs were St.Andrews university folks who were cooking in their sleeping area!
We could hear the petrol stoves purring away. Sudden panic when a fire started sleeping bags etc were ablaze....again the chain gang went into action to save the bothy....much gear was lost.
Nowadays the upstairs sleeping area is closed off as it is now in some of the other bothies. Myself, after these experiences, I always look for a sleeping area downstairs in a bothy.