Long road ahead for businessman after massive blaze

Standing across from the road from where his thriving auto parts business once stood, Keith Towers, owner and operator of Ketro Trading Company Limited, said he has no other choice except to count his losses and start over after a raging fire destroyed his livelihood yesterday.

“It’s a new beginning man. I am just going to have to start all over once more,” he said. Up to Thursday evening, firefighters were still battling the blaze that started at, and completely destroyed Superior Honda Parts on Hagley Park Road in St Andrew. The Jamaica Fire Brigade is yet to determine the cause of the blaze, but a senior representative said the fire started minutes after 11 a.m. and spread to a few other nearby compounds. Among the establishments affected was Ketro Trading, and Trowers told THE WEEKEND STAR that the fire’s reach surprised him.

“When I saw the smoke, it wasn’t really bad and I didn’t expect it to come over my side, but nevertheless, I started to move out stuff and put them on the sidewalk,” he said.