A fire devastated BNW Auto Repair and a video store in Houston, destroying 24 vehicles.
HOUSTON — A family is picking up the pieces after a fire destroyed their auto repair business of 35 years, leaving behind twisted metal, ashes, and a mountain of uncertainty.
On Monday afternoon, flames tore through the commercial building housing BNW Auto Repair and a neighboring video store near I-45 and Gulf Bank. The fire caused an estimated $2 million in damage and destroyed 24 vehicles.
Houston Firefighters responded a little before 5 p.m. Monday to find heavy flames coming from the building. One firefighter was taken to the hospital with an ankle injury.
Video footage captured from KHOU’s Air 11 showed thick black smoke rising miles along the North Freeway, while a worker’s cellphone video recorded the fire roaring inside before the roof and walls collapsed.
Nery Hernandez is the owner at BNW Repair, a business he’s built since he arrived in the United States that works on new and classic vehicles. On Monday, he, his family, and employees watched in shock as the business went up in flames.
“I never felt this sad in my life,” Hernandez said. “This probably one of the hardest things, but, then again, I have to be honest and say that I’m thankful the God spared everybody’s life.”
As Hernandez walked through the rubble Thursday, he reflected on the loss.
“We’ve been working hard for the last 35 years and just to see everything gone in two hours,” he said.
Pointing to the charred remains of a 1966 Mustang Fastback, he added, “This was one of the best cars that we had.” He stressed that the fire destroyed not only vehicles but dreams and memories.
“You’re not only working on a piece of metal, you’re working on somebody’s memory and somebody’s dream,” Hernandez said.
The emotional toll weighs heavily on Hernandez, especially seeing his employees and children digging through ashes, searching for anything salvageable. “My heart just hurts when I see them digging through all of these ashes looking for a solution for tomorrow. It’s heavy. Extremely heavy,” Hernandez said.
Yet, despite the devastation, Hernandez remains determined. “What we all call the American dream, we’ve been working hard on that,” he said. “This fire is a harsh reminder not to take anything for granted.”
For now, his priority is to relocate BNW Auto Repair to a smaller shop to keep employees working, while insurance claims and the fate of the lost vehicles remain uncertain. “It’s heartbreaking, but I know one way or another, we’ll be able to make it through,” Hernandez said.
HFD Arson investigators continue to determine the cause of the blaze. Officials said, while the cause remains undetermined, it doesn’t appear to have been intentional.
“This fire… you realize how powerful fire or mother nature can be,” Hernandez reflected. “We had the roof blown off by a storm before, too, so don’t take nothing for granted.”
Hernandez’s children have started a GoFundMe account to help as they navigate this loss.