F45 Pacific Pines reopening after being burnt to the ground

A Gold Coast gym is preparing to open its doors again after a suspicious fire destroyed their building last year.

Ricardo Parata and Krysti-Glory Parata are excited to start over after their gym was burnt down last year. Picture: Jerad Williams

A GOLD Coast gym is reopening after it was burnt out, causing around $100,000 in damages.

The F45 gym on Pitcairn Way, Pacific Pines was set alight about 4.20am on June 15.

It is alleged someone had smashed the glass doors of the gym and set the premises on fire.

The neighbouring real estate and health care businesses were also damaged by the fire.

The owners, Krysti-Glory Gallo and her husband Ricardo Parata, said they lost everything.

“My husband and I purchased the business almost two years ago to the day it was burnt down,” Mrs Gallo said.

“We lost everything ... from all of the equipment to documents, receipts and files...

The fire cost around $100,000 in damages. Picture: Jerad Williams

“The gym equipment alone was worth about $70,000. That’s not including the flooring, walls ... but it’s not just about the money. It was all the hard work that was lost.

“It was all gone within five minutes.

“The only thing left standing was the toilet.”

Fortunately, the pair had opened a second gym, F45 at Ormeau, and were able to support themselves but it wasn’t easy for them to get back on their feet.

“It was quite rough for us,” Mrs Gallo said.

“We were also going through some personal problems and had to sell our house and move in with our parents.

“My husband also works in child safety, and I’m a parent too, so trying to balance everything was extremely hard but we just leant on each other and got through it.”

The gym was destroyed in the fire. Photo: Brianna Morris-Grant

At the time, police treated the fire as suspicious but Mrs Gallo said they were still in the dark about the cause.

“We have no idea what happened. That’s the crappy part,” she said.

“All we know is that it looks like they smashed through the front doors and started the fire.”

The pair have worked “endlessly” for almost a year to rebuild, spending hundreds of hours to get the business back together.

The new fitness centre is set to launch on March 16.

“We are very excited but also nervous as it’s the second time around for this studio,” Mrs Gallo said.

“It’s very close to our heart as this was the first business we have owned.

“Fingers crossed everything will go as planned.”