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    Fire at jk chevrolet

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December 15, 2008

J.K. Chevrolet owner worried about employees

Mary Meaux

NEDERLAND — Robert Turner, owner of J.K. Chevrolet, is worried about his employees.

While Turner is looking at the possibility of losing millions of dollars in a fire at the dealerships parts building, he’s also thinking about his employees. About 70 employees from all departments will be affected, he said.

The sales department will be temporarily relocated across the highway at the used car dealership and customers with questions can call 409-723-1100.

The fire comes at a rough times for any business, especially with the national economic downturn and its effects on the auto industry, Turner said.

“Anytime you go through a fire it’s a trying time,” Turner said. “We lost a lot of records and personal items but, most importantly, there are the people who depend on us for their livelihood. There will be no work for them until we get rebuilt. We will move as many of our employees across the street, but the parts building is devastated.”

The cause of the Sunday night blaze, at 1451 U.S. 69, is under investigation with the National Response Team, part of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives bureau, assisting, ATF Spokesperson Franceska Perot said.

Perot said the investigation is routine for any large business that has a fire.

The NRT works alongside federal, state, and local officers in reconstructing the scene, identifying the seat of the blast or the origin of the fire, conducting interviews and sifting through debris to obtain evidence related to the explosion/fire, according to the ATF Web site.

Members of the Nederland Fire Department worked on the fire at J.K. Chevrolet, which began shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday, for about 14 hours before returning to the station about noon Monday, Chief Gary Collins said.

Fire personnel from Port Arthur, Beaumont and Mid-County cities responded to the blaze.

mmeaux@panews.com

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