By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A BUSINESS that stores vehicles from accidents went up in flames on Friday, renewing safety concerns among nearby residents.

Bryan Bethel watched helplessly as his business of 12 years, Honda Plus, burned. Police said all the vehicles inside the establishment, located off Gladstone Road, were destroyed.

“I don’t have no emotional feelings right now,” he said.

Despite the devastation, Mr Bethel insisted his business operated safely.

Footage showed a massive black cloud billowing into the sky, accompanied by popping sounds as fire consumed nearby cable wires.

Chief Fire Officer Superintendent Demeris Armbrister said police received reports of a vehicle fire at Honda Plus Auto and Car Repair around 2.30pm.

A unit from the Cable Beach Fire Station arrived within five minutes to find multiple vehicles engulfed in flames. Upon assessment, three additional units were requested.

Police believe the fire started on the eastern end of the establishment, but the exact cause remains unknown.

Strong winds caused the blaze to spread rapidly, and at one point, firefighters contained only 50 percent of the flames.

Water pressure in the area posed a challenge, making securing the water needed to extinguish the fire difficult.

Mr Bethel said he was unaware of what had happened until his son called about the fire.

Honda Plus is located along the main road in the Victoria Gardens subdivision. The owner defended his business location, saying he had obtained five different licences.

“When I was dealing with the leasing, I had to make sure I got everything done,” he said. “This is a commercial/residential area, but I’m on the main road. My property goes through to the corner.”

“You got other hazardous places here — look at all these gas companies.”

As for who was to blame, he said: “They put the blame on me, but for what? Ain’t nothing wrong with nobody house. It’s me who took the loss. My building is gone, my business is gone, my income stopped that day, right here. So what is the blame? A little smoke?”

Next door, a scrap metal business sustained some damage. Its owner, Gevon Fisher, also responded to criticisms about having scrap metal yards in residential areas.

“We don’t really deal with cars,” he said. “We buy aluminum, copper, brass, and stuff like that — not really things that are hazardous to the environment.”

He added that his business had fire hoses and extinguishers as safety measures, but they were no help in this situation.

Residents watched in shock as the fire spread and did not hold back their frustrations about the business operating so close to homes.

“Everybody had concerns about it. It was a hazard — with rodents, with fire, with chemicals messing up the water table. It was a hazard generally,” said Bersil Cox.

He claimed residents had already been affected by the business.

“There were traffic problems, environmental problems with overgrown bushes, and, like I said, rodents. You also had a lot of strangers coming into the area, people who weren’t from here, and then they started plotting out on people’s property. This wasn’t called for, not in a residential area like this.”

Another resident said neighbours had been trying to get the business shut down.

“This sort of business, it isn’t a good idea to have it out here,” said Myra Sturrup. “You don’t know where the fire is going to end up. It can spread out of control.”