Carcom back in business after horrific fire

Out of the ruins of their home for 30 years, Carcom has reopened and is back doing what it does best.

SALVAGING hope from the ashes of a fire that destroyed his 30-year business has been quicker than expected for Carcom owner Tony Copley.

Hours after locking up the Bishop St, Woolner auto-electrical business, Tony answered a phone call telling him the building was in flames.

Damage was extensive. Tens of thousands of dollars of machinery and equipment were destroyed in the workshop at the rear of the premises and although most stock in the shop at the front has been salvaged, the Bishop St building is terminal and will be demolished.

When asked what he’s feeling a week after the fire, Tony’s response came out of the blue.

“Gratitude,” he said.

“People have been awesome. Across the board the community response has been insane with people ringing up and offers of furniture and sheds and tools and space and parts from our friends, the general public and the business community.

“I know business people have just been jumping out of their skin to help. Even some of our competitors have called up and offered assistance. Great guys.”

A significant contribution came from Cafe 21’s Brian Barnes and Jenny Um who own the Viridian glass building down the road at 1 Bishop St.

The Carcom team Hafez Ajjur, Tony Copley, Mitchell Copley, Brady Rothwell and Vinh Vu resume trading in new premises after devastating fire. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“We had keys within 24-hours and we’ve got customers in here now so we’re back on the tracks,” he said.

“Lucky it was a long-weekend, so we had an extra day but by Tuesday morning we opened up and had customers’ cars in here.”

Looking ahead, Tony expects to be in the premises until at least the end of the year and possibly beyond.

Most of the stock in the Carcom shop has been salvaged but almost everything in the offices and workshop at the rear has been destroyed as well four company vehicles.

“All our offices and all the workshop tools, parts, consumables, we had a stock container up the back. All that’s gone,” Tony said.

“Nothing in the workshop is salvageable. All the guys’ really expensive tools, everything’s gone. All the stuff that really mattered a week ago is no longer here and part of the process is getting your head around all that stuff and letting it go.”

The Bishop St premises hosted two businesses: Carcom, specialising in auto electrical including car audio, car security, phones, two-ways, mine vehicle fit-outs, cruise control, auxiliary lighting, electric brakes and caravan brakes and Satcom, specialising in satellite communications for the private sector, government and Defence.

The building is likely to be demolished but landlords the Kyriacous intend to rebuild.

“A big shout-out to them for the last 30 years of support and I really want to thank our team here because we wouldn’t be where we are without them,” Tony said.

“They’re an awesome crew who worked solid through the whole long weekend to get us up and running.

“We’ve just landed on our feet with this premises. I can’t thank Brian enough, the guy who owns this place. If we had to go through formal channels we’d still be looking at contracts.

“I rang him Friday night and we had keys by lunchtime Saturday and we were off Total Tools and Bunnings and Ashdown-Ingram’s auto-electrical supplies are open Saturday morning and we basically just started making a workshop.”

The business was insured and enjoying a good year after several quiet ones. An immediate concern is undiscovered outlays, such as the cost of cleaning out the burnt out workshop and offices.

“We’re back in the trenches for a little while now, but we’ll make good things come out of it,” Tony said.

“We’re just trying to get the message out to the community that we’re back in business. We’ll have some signage going up and posting on Facebook but it’s important to get out there there’s no disruption to our customers.”

Originally published as Carcom back in business after horrific fire