27-05-2025
Owner of fire-ravaged Scots garage claims three businesses are gutted by blaze
It is understood the fire ripped through scrapyard Wishaw Auto breakers and has caused extensive damage to three buildings and a number of vehicles on the yard.
The owner of a fire-ravaged Scots garage has said he has no idea what caused the devastating blaze which is understood to have gutted three businesses in a Motherwell industrial estate.
Mindagas Virketis told Lanarkshire Live a huge fire erupted at a car repair centre in Biggar Road Industrial estate which has now spread to neighbouring businesses and is believed to have destroyed three premises under his tenancy.
It is understood the fire ripped through scrapyard Wishaw Auto breakers and has caused extensive damage to three buildings and a number of vehicles on the yard.
Scottish Fire and Rescue have confirmed no one was injured in the incident.
Firefighters were on the scene at the industrial estate in Cleland on Tuesday afternoon, where flames and thick plumes of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.
Police urged people to avoid the area as a road closure was in place at the junction with Bellside Road.
Mr Virketis, who was there when the fire started, said: "We don't know what has caused this, we're still trying to find out.
"I'm the owner and I was there when the fire started. I'm renting the building to tenants who were not there.
"I saw the shutters were closed and wanted to find out if anyone was in the garage so I phoned the tenants.
"Everything was burned before the firefighters started putting water on it. They couldn't get a supply of water because there's no water supply in the industrial estate so it took one hour-and-a-half to get the water from the main road which is what has caused the big fire.
"It's a car repair garage that went on fire - three different businesses under the one roof and I don't know how many cars. It looks accidental but we will hopefully find out what's happened in the next day or two."
Local councillor Louise Roarty, depute leader of North Lanarkshire Council, shared a video of the blaze and claimed fires are a "regular occurrence" at the site.
She added that the fire service attended the fire "within minutes".
She said: "It's a regular occurrence unfortunately. I thought at first it was tyres on fire, until I received the drone footage. Nobody has been injured and that's the main thing.
"The fire service was there within minutes."
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 9.37am on Tuesday, May 27, to reports of a building fire in Cleland, near Motherwell.
"Operations Control mobilised six appliances to the town's Biggar Road, where firefighters were met by a fire involving an industrial unit.
"Crews remain on scene working to extinguish the fire.
"There are no reported casualties."
A police spokesperson said: "Emergency services are dealing with a fire at Biggar Road Industrial Estate, Motherwell.
"The road is closed at the junction with Bellside Road. Motorists and pedestrians are asked to avoid the area."
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