Aftermath of blaze which destroyed garage workshop
[gallery] A huge fire which hit a garage on the outskirts of Welshpool destroyed a coach and several cars, engulfing a workshop and causing several explosions.
A busy road close to the scene was closed in the interests of public safety as firefighters battled to control the flames yesterday morning.
An investigation into the cause of the fire at Border Garage Welshpool Ltd, to the south of Welshpool, has been launched by Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
Nigel Jones, co-owner of the petrol station, store and motor business, said the workshop – which is used for MoT testing – would have to be completely rebuilt.
A coach in the yard was destroyed while several cars in the area were also burned out.
Police were forced to shut the A458 between Powis Castle Junction and Sarn y Bryn Caled roundabout after the fire broke out at about 8.30am yesterday.
The stretch of road was reopened shortly before noon.
Crews were at the scene for several hours battling the blaze.
People nearby also reported seeing plumes of smoke coming from the burnt out building throughout yesterday.
A spokesman for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said they tackled the fire defensively and that a couple of explosions had been reported.
Nigel Jones and Jack Richards, who jointly own the petrol station, store and motor business, spoke of their shock over the blaze.
The duo have worked from the site for six-years and Mr Jones said that this was the first fire they had experienced.
Mr Jones, 41, of Oswestry, said: "The main thing is no one was hurt. I got to work this morning and the fire was still going.
"It is a real shock for us and we have no idea what could have caused it so we will have to wait and see.
"There were a couple of cars parked in the workshop. We do MOT testing in there usually but no one was in there at the time and no one has been hurt."
He added: "It looks completely destroyed and we will have to rebuild it.
"We are keeping positive and it will be business as usual for us. We've got the petrol station, the store and the workshop and we also have the motor business where we rent cars and vans. You never expect anything like this to happen. "
