I’ve got to start all over again after my business was destroyed in a blaze (From Gazette)

I’ve got to start all over again after my business was destroyed in a blaze

12:00pm Tuesday 12th October 2010 in News By James Calnan

Starting again – Trevor Mouat in his destroyed unit

A DEVASTATED businessman has vowed to battle back after his unit was destroyed in a blaze.

The ceiling of Trevor Mouat’s unit Fast Partz collapsed during a blaze that hit Wivenhoe Business Park.

The father-of-four, who has built the scooter parts business up from scratch over the past two years, estimates between £15,000 and £20,000 damage was caused.

Because the goods were not insured, Mr Mouat, 36, of Mede Way, Wivenhoe, will have to start all over again.

He said: “It was catastrophic for me. Everything I have worked for in the past two years is no longer with us.

“I started in my garage and I built it to the stage where I needed a unit.

“I was happy that in a recession I was paying the bills, because a lot of people around me were struggling.

“This is just obviously a massive, massive setback.”

Mr Mouat worked at the unit until nearly midnight on Friday, October 1, before returning at 9am on Saturday to pick up some orders, only to find a police cordon.

Over the next couple of hours it became apparent his unit was near the centre of the blaze.

When he was eventually allowed to inspect the damage, he saw the roof had collapsed and nearly everything had been destroyed.

He added: “I got married last year and all of my wedding pictures were on a memory stick that was in the unit.”

However, Mr Mouat said he had been touched by the level of support he had received from family, friends and even strangers.

One relative has bought him a laptop and printer to relaunch his online business and his sister has helped out with money.

Mr Mouat said: “I was quite surprised lots of people from the surrounding units and in Wivenhoe in general came down and mucked in.

“People were coming down bringing tea and sandwiches, so that lifted my spirits a bit.

“I have to pick myself up and show my children that when challenges are thrown at you, we have got to rise to them.”

Mr Mouat said fire officers had checked his fittings and found the fire could not have been started by an electrical fault from his unit.

A fire service spokesman said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.