Business devastated: but family plans to rebuild after blaze

From left, Rebecca, Catherine, Andrew, Dana and Georga Kendray amidst the blackened workshop area.  

The Stihl Shop is on the corner of Coronation Avenue and Rigby St. Pictured before the fire.

A Nambour family has been left devastated but determined to rebuild after a fire gutted the business last Wednesday.

Three fire crews were called to the fire at the Stihl Shop Nambour on Coronation Avenue at 8.50pm on Wednesday (February 8) and left about 10.40pm.

Smoke rises from the building last Wednesday.

Most of the structural damage was contained to the workshop area, where the fire started, but there is overwhelming damage throughout. Almost all the stock and equipment in the business has been ruined by either the heat, smoke, ash or water. 

Daughter Georga said the family was still coming to grips with the enormity of effort that will be required to get the business back on its feet. 

“Yesterday (Thursday, February 9), I think in our minds, we were like: ‘We’ll come in, get in there, clean it out, and we’ll be trading next week’. That’s what we thought. 

“But I don’t think that that is the reality. There’s a lot of smoke damage throughout the whole shop that needs to be repaired and cleaned and replaced.

“I didn’t realize that smoke was capable of such destruction. It’s on everything. Smoke spread from the workshop, through the whole shop, and then out our front roller door. 

“So it’s all through the ceiling and the roof. Everywhere.  There’s a lot of damage and potentially we’re going to have to try and trade out of, maybe temporarily, somewhere else.  I don’t know what the plan is yet, we’re just trying to work it out.

“Right now, we can’t use any of the store or workshop because all the smoke damage is in the ceiling as well.

“And all the stock in the shop is coated in it. So currently, we can’t do anything. We can’t use any of it, can’t sell any of it. We don’t have power. It’s a lot more damage than we first thought.

“But we’ve got our insurance, thank God, so they will sort everything out for us.”

Georga said it would be months before they were back in the shop operating fully as before. 

“Which is devastating. We’re a family of five, plus our staff. It’s awful. Now, we can’t do anything. We just want to get in there, but we can’t. Just sitting here is so frustrating.”

The Nambour community and nearby businesses had been incredible and were a silver lining to a terrible situation. 

“We’ve had the Bat Fit Crazy Gym next door bring us morning tea and lunch yesterday.    

“We’ve have the Sunshine Mitre 10 in Nambour help us out. My mum went to go get cleaning stuff, and they were like: ‘Take it.’ So they are supplying all the cleaning stuff which is incredible.

“We’ve had the owner of the shop next to us has let us store our stock in that building, which is so nice. 

“We’ve got customers calling up, not wanting anything, they just want to make sure we’re okay, if we need anything. I had customers turn up, and they bought us ice and drinks. 

“Yeah, it’s pretty incredible, when you need it, how the whole community just comes together. We’re so lucky.

“But Mum and Dad are absolutely devastated. It’s their lifeblood and, my Dad, he lives and breathes this business.”

The Kendray family has run the business since parents Andrew and Catherine bought it in 2016. Georga and sisters Rebecca and Dana work there along with other staff.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the blaze was non-suspicious.