Fire destroys surveillance tapes

Two days, two massive fires, two devastated families.

The McGraths became the latest family victimized by fire Friday morning when an arsonist torched a storage/maintenance barn at 12700 Gilbert Road in an apparent attempt to cover his videotaped tracks following a break-in.

The fire caused an estimated $250,000 damage, destroying a bobcat, expensive commercial and industrial tools, a car, and a pair of security cameras installed following a break-in at the barn only a week earlier.

For Andrew McGrath, 28, his wife Denise, and their two-year-old daughter Abbygail, the fire couldn't have come at a worse time.

Like the Molinelli family, who lost everything Wednesday night in a $150,000 blaze linked to last week's severe windstorm, the McGraths lacked fire insurance.

"I just lost everything," McGrath told The Review Monday night. "It took me two years to get where I am. It's harsh when you lose everything you own."

McGrath invested the money he received from a car accident settlement into a composting/recycling business he named after his daughter. AJM Enterprises was just finishing its second year, and although the going was rough, McGrath said he was paying his bills and feeding his young family.

But Friday morning's fire changed that.

The deliberately-set blaze started in the rear entrance to the building around 1:45 a.m., Richmond Fire-Rescue's Gordon Gill said Monday.

A neighbor first spotted the blaze and called 911, and then notified the McGraths. The barn's normally locked rear door was on open and on fire, Gill said.

The metal clad barn was filled with fuel containers, including a 45-gallon drum of diesel fuel. Fire crews had difficulty dousing the blaze because the metal exterior remained standing and intact even after the windowless wood-frame structure burned. That made it impossible to spray water directly on the flames.

Firefighters spent about three hours at the scene, but there were no injuries.

McGrath installed surveillance equipment in his barn following a break-in a week earlier. He has no doubt that the fire was set by the thief after he or she noticed the security cameras.

Ironically, McGrath's wife Denise had planned to buy fire insurance for the barn on Monday. She'd written it down in her agenda book, he said.

"I never pictured something like this happening to me."

Originally from New Brunswick, the McGraths moved to Richmond six years ago. He was leasing the barn from a man who owns an insurance firm. Oddly, the barn itself wasn't insured by the landlord either.

McGrath plans to rebuild what's left of his business with the help of his friends. But he still needs plywood, electrical wiring and fuses to build another shop.

Despite feeling devastated, McGrath is hoping for a miserable winter. If there's plenty of snow, there'll be plenty of work to clear snow from local roads and driveways. McGrath's $70,000 tractor was parked outside the barn and spared from the flames.

Police are currently investigating the blaze.

Anyone wishing to help out the McGrath family is asked to call 275-2394.