‘I lost everything’ - Lowestoft business recovers after devastating fire

Damage caused by fire at Lowestoft Touring Caravans. PHOTO: Nick Butcher (Image: ©archant2016)

On February 3, Keith Burton, owner of Lowestoft Touring Caravans, left his business at South Lowestoft Industrial Estate, for only a short period of time, when a neighbouring business owner rang to inform him his workshop was ablaze. 'I lost everything - three cars, three motorbikes and a caravan, my son estimated about £100,000 pounds of damage had been done; more than 30 years of work was destroyed in about half an hour,' said Mr Burton, 68.

Among the vehicles lost was a 1984 Thunderbird police car, which Mr Burton had spent two years restoring and planned to enter into car shows later in the year; however as consequence of the fire this is no longer possible.

Mr Burton added: 'You cannot think about things like this you just have to move on, lots of friends have rallied round to give a helping help.

'We have been brushing ash out for months and are still drying money out from the safe!'

A view of the fire at South Lowestoft Industrial Estate. Picture: Andy Lloyd (Image: Archant)

Three fire crews attended the fire at the unit on Pinbush Road and were able to quickly extinguish the flames; believed to be have been caused by an electrical fault.

A friend of Mr Burton, who wished to remain anonymous, explained: 'I arrived at the end of the fire and all I could see was water everywhere, the place was drenched; it looked like a bomb had hit it.'

Despite no power source and with large areas of roof still missing, a determined Mr Burton has continued to trade, using the yard in front of the business as a makeshift work space.

Mr Burton said: 'I built this building from scratch over the course of six years, after purchasing the land in 1984, and aim to get a roof on by the winter time in order to continue working as it is my passion.'

Do you have a Lowestoft story? Email simon.ward@archant.co.uk