Workers at a Hoppers Crossing business are considering themselves lucky after a fire ripped through a workshop on the site just 30 minutes after staff left for the day.
ARB, a four-wheel-drive accessory store and mechanic service on Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing, caught fire about 2pm on November 8.
Staff had closed up and left the store just half an hour earlier.
The fire took about 90 minutes to extinguish.
Manager John Occhipinti said everyone felt “very blessed” no one was hurt in the fire.
It is believed the blaze was caused by an electrical fault.
ARB’s workshop was significantly damaged in the fire, which burnt out cars and created a sizeable hole in the roof.
Mr Occhipinti said that while the workshop would need to be closed while repairs were carried out, the business had secured another workshop with the help of the community.
“The automotive industry has been incredibly supportive, helping with the clean- up and offering us tools and workshops,” he said. “The fire didn’t affect the store or the stock, and with the other workshop we will be up and running this week.”
Mr Occhipinti said he was grateful to Werribee Mitsubishi, which alerted the CFA to the fire, and to residents who rushed to their aid.
“People saw the smoke from miles away because the oils in the workshop caught fire,” he said. “We’ve had many calls from people offering support and checking everything is OK.”
