“I think there’s nothing left of it,” says co-owner Pierre Hermans of the Hahebo office furniture company in Beugen. Hermans learned the news during his vacation in Spain. After seeing the pictures, he collected his things from him to drive to Boxmeer. There are more companies in the building that burned down on Sunday.
“My niece lives in Boxmeer and went to have a look. Then she called me,” says Hermans. “Then I saw the pictures of the fire and I think there is little left of our company.”
by Accu
The fire appears to have broken out in the company next to Hermans’. “You see the fire there is the first to break out in the building. The company trades batteries. They have a special container next to the building for those batteries. Those containers still look pretty intact.”
Pierre Hermans contacted his business neighbor “But he doesn’t answer. I think he’s really done.” Hermans himself seems relaxed enough. “I have several companies, I am on the board of directors of Ronde van Boxmeer. You will not easily see me nervous. I know that sometimes things are good and sometimes not.”
Call customers
Hermans had the building built himself in the late 1980s, of which little remains today. A year and a half ago the property was bought by the nearby company that sells batteries. Hermans therefore no longer owns the property.
“In 1990 I moved there with Hehabo.” His company trades in office interiors and since he has been crowned, home business supplies have taken off. “It’s a thriving company. I’m doing it with my son and son-in-law, they really have a stomach ache. The orders for Monday were ready. We just have to give those customers the bad news.”
Then there is still some tension in Pierre Hermans’ voice. “Now let’s hope we don’t get stuck in France without petrol.”
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