A heating and cooling company in Chatham is picking up the pieces to move on after a massive fire tore through the east end business on Wednesday.
Jay Glasier, the owner of QPS Mechanical Heating and Cooling in Chatham, said he was driving along St. Clair Street when he got the call from a neighbouring business informing him that his building on Hart Place was on fire. He said could see the smoke from across town in the distance.
"My stomach was twisting. A huge range of emotions went through [me]. I thought they could save it, the building. But within 20 minutes it was done," said Glasier. "The fire was so hot it took 12-inch I-beams and twisted them like candy canes... That's why everything is gone. It's a 100 per cent write off."
Two employees at the business also had to be taken to hospital the day of the fire to be treated for smoke inhalation. They have both since been released from the hospital in good health, according to Glasier who added that it was a comfort that no one was seriously injured.
"A building can be replaced, people's lives can't," he said.
Glasier said the fire has since been deemed accidental by investigators and he is currently working with the insurance company so the business can move forward. He added that QPS Mechanical has been able to remain open at a temporary location thanks to the help of several people and organizations in the community.
"People came out of the woodwork to help us," he said. "There were so many people that helped us."
QPS will remain open at 71 Sass Road Unit 3 for the time being, but Glasier is already looking towards the future.
"We're going to rebuild, bigger and better," he said.
