SAN ANTONIO — On Monday the high-pitched whine of power tools replaced the roar of flames at a southeast-side auto repair shop, as members of the family-owned business jumped into the recovery mode after a devastating weekend fire.
James Otto, one of the owners, said seven of the 12 people who work at Temple Hill Automotive are members of the same family.
While some scrubbed soot from fixtures, others swept muck from the floor and construction workers brought welding equipment to create a new way to secure the fire damaged building.
The owners say the shop has been serving customers on Goliad Road for 68 years.
“My dad was in business in 1947 on South Presa Street and he built this place in 1953, and he moved up here when there was nothing out her," Otto said. "It was woods in ’53 and after that everything started booming on the south side.”
But at about 12:30 Sunday afternoon, the mechanics found themselves in need of a big fix.
Firefighters believe some kind of electrical malfunction in the building, which was unoccupied at the time, led to a fire that destroyed much of the shop and at least three cars inside in service bays. The paint job on another car was left in blisters, and several other vehicles will need extensive cleanup.
As the fire ate through the roof, more than 20 fire units joined the fight, but the fire was so intense that parts of the roof collapsed.
Firefighters cut ventilation holes in bay doors and attacked the fire from aerial platforms when the danger for an offensive push became too great.
Otto said a firefighter who knows a family member called them at home to tell them about the loss.
“When we got here Goliad Road was closed and then it took them about two hours to put the fire out,” Otto said.
Family members agree that the care they have provided over the years is being repaid in kindness, now that the billowing black smoke is gone and the job of rebuilding is underway.
Otto says help started to flood in almost immediately.
“One customer brought us a bunch of money to feed the employees. Everybody's been real generous. The neighborhood cafeterias and stuff, they've been bringing us food from every direction," Otto said.
Otto said the family’s heart was touched when a minister showed up too.
“A preacher came early this morning and said prayers,” he said, adding they felt better for the effort.
“We're trying to recover, and kind of re-do and change things as we go,” Otto said. "The boys are working right now cleaning things up and we're just waiting on the insurance guys so we can continue.”
Otto said they have already found ways to secure what the fire did not ruin and they will clean up parts of the building that weren’t gutted as soon as possible.
Otto said he is not sure when they will be back in business, but he says they are working hard to make that dream a reality.