“Twenty years of business has gone up in smoke”, after a fire destroyed a garage in Llandysul last night.

Ponttweli Garage and three vehicles outside the garage have been destroyed entirely by a fire that broke out around 9pm last night, 21 September.

Duncan Aves, who has owned the garage for 20 years, is “gutted” about the loss.

“It’s completely gone, including my classic car I’ve been building for the past two years. I am totally devastated, everything has gone; every piece of equipment and the building, customer’s cars have burned out.

“20 years of business has gone up in smoke.”

Mid and West Wales Fire Service crews from Llandysul, Newcastle Emlyn, Lampeter and Tumble attended the fire at around 9.09pm.

The fire service said the cause of the fire “is under investigation”.

Duncan was informed of the fire after a resident called his son: “I rushed down and half of it was on fire. The fire brigade did a fantastic job in stopping the fire reaching the neighbouring house and the houses around.

“They and the police were brilliant; I can’t praise them enough.

“The important thing was nobody was hurt, nobody was killed, everything else can be replaced.

“We will be re-building and we will be moving forward.”

A spokesperson for the fire service said: “The affected garage, measuring approximately 15 metres x 15 metres, was destroyed by the fire whilst three vehicles outside the garage were also destroyed by the fire.

“A house adjacent to the garage, suffered heat damage and slight smoke damage.

“Firefighters removed and cooled two argon cylinders, one oxygen mixed cylinder and a propane cylinder from the fire.

“Firefighters extinguished the fire using four hose reel jets, two main jets and two breathing apparatus.

“The garage was cordoned off as the structure was unsafe. The police and Western Power were also in attendance.

“The cause of the fire is under investigation.”