Devastation for family as garage goes up in flames

THERE WAS devastation for Brian O’Connor and his wife Denise last week when they emerged from their lunch on Tuesday afternoon to see a section of their garage had caught fire.

Brian and Denise, who run Brian O’Connor Car Sales in Ballymurn, have been in business in the area for nearly 20 years and built it up from a small sales practice to a repair garage and sales showroom. In recent years, the couple had extended the garage, building a showroom and separate workshop, which have remained mainly unaffected by the blaze.

Mr O’Connor explained that he had gone into his house, which is next to the garage, for lunch and had come back out at around 1.30 p.m.

When I came out, I noticed smoke coming out over the door. When I went in, the right hand corner of the garage was in flames and it went up so quick after that. I shouted to Denise that the garage was on fire and ran to get the garden hose to try put it out but it was no use. We rang the emergency services and the fire brigade were out very quickly but it felt like an eternity.’

Two units of the fire brigade attended the scene and got the fire under control in about an hour, before proceeding to make the building safe in the following hours. Mr O’Connor said he had never been in such close proximity to a fire before and hoped never to be again. He added that, like any other business, they had endured tough times during the recession but had found, in the last five to six years, that business was booming.

‘ This is a setback but we’ll pick ourselves up and keep going. It was an emotional experience: a few tears were shed and we haven’t slept great for the past few nights. We’ll engage with the insurance process now and I’ve been making an inventory of items and equipment that were in the garage but, over 20 years, you accumulate so many tools it’s hard to log them all.’

Mr O’Connor said they were relived that no one had been hurt in the blaze, pointing out that one barrel of oil had heated up to a temperature of 125 degrees. The building, he said, would have to be demolished and some re-wiring would be done on the remaining buildings where his showroom and a second workshop are located.

‘We’re lucky we didn’t lose the whole place and that’s down to the fire brigade being there so quick - they managed to save most of the building.’

Mr O’Connor said they were hopeful of reopening within the next few weeks. At present the workshop and repairs, and tyre sales part of the business are closed but car sales are open as normal on 053 91 38988 / 087 2453 293.

‘It’s been an awful shock to the system, a kick in the teeth, but we will pick ourselves up again. The phone has been hopping with calls and texts, and messages of support so we are very grateful to our neighbours, friends and customers for their support and assistance at this difficult time.’