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Business owners plan to rebuild after fire

By JAYNE HANSON
Today's News-Herald
Published Tuesday, July 20, 2010 10:13 PM MST

The owners of a local business devastated by a fire that caused $650,000 damage Monday have plans to rebuild within 30 days and carry on with life as they know it.

Island Boat Service owners Mike and Joyce Riley and employee Tavo Lopez, left, stand in the wreckage of their business that was devastated by a fire Monday. The owners said they plan to rebuild. Jayne Hanson/News-Herald Photo.

Mike and Joyce Riley, owners of Island Boat Service, said Tuesday they have lost everything in the fire and that they have no insurance on the business to recuperate the cost of the damages.

“We are going to clear the slab, salvage as much as we possibly can, build a one-stall shop and continue doing business,” Mike Riley said. “We are down right now, but we are going to build it back.”

Lake Havasu City Fire Marshal Chip Shilosky said further investigations have determined the fire did start in the office area of the business and the cause is possibly electrical in nature.

The extent of the fire damage that occurred is keeping investigators from identifying electrical parts because they are melted together from extreme heat.

The mishap is the second to occur at the business since it was established in 1984.

At 10:15 a.m. Aug. 15, 2001, a welding accident severely burned Mike Riley. He said the accident caused burns on 57 percent of his body. The incident has left him without feeling in his legs.

However, the accident did not stop him from returning to his shop.

“It’s the only thing I have, I love it,” Riley said of his welding and repair business.

The 66-year-old business owner has been overseeing shop operations in the years following and turned the welding over to Tavo Lopez, a shop employee of six years.

“(The Rileys) pay my bills. They have sent my kids to college and now I don’t know what I am going to do,” Lopez said. “I guess we have to go forward, not back.”

The business was a total loss, and customers’ houseboats, pontoon boats and fabricated docks were damaged.

The two fifth-wheel occupants, Jack and Julie Hutchins, suffered injuries from Monday’s fire and were treated and released from a Phoenix burn center, said Jack Hutchins. They are recovering. He added that he suffered burns on both feet and wife Julie suffered a burn on her arm as well as smoke inhalation.

Island Boat Service is located at 1580 Dover Ave. in Havasu.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.

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Comments (8 comment(s))

tim wrote on Jul 29, 2010 6:52 PM:

" maybe we should call the BLM-they would fix it "

oldone wrote on Jul 26, 2010 12:48 PM:

" tim how true since it is completly against the code in C1 area, unless they had a special use permit. "

man in the shadows wrote on Jul 24, 2010 9:25 AM:

" Newmom07 the article stated there was no insurance, either there is or there isnt. What is there to think about when thats what was reported, maybe you should think before you speak. I am sure that these people are nice people but that has nothing to do with it. A business that has and deals with the property of others should be insured regardles of how nice they are. They are sure to be dealing with other people stuff that are not going to be so nice when they want the property that they had there returned or replaced. Its just good business to be insured. "

newmom07 wrote on Jul 22, 2010 9:20 AM:

" think before you speak - you don't know the whole story regarding insurance - obvisouly you do not know Mike and his wife and the open arms they give to people. These are the type of people you want in your corner during good and bad times. Keep the smiles Mike :) "

tim wrote on Jul 21, 2010 9:24 AM:

" How is it someone is living on that property? And with no insurance?
Fishy. "

man in the shadows wrote on Jul 21, 2010 8:44 AM:

" Its sad that this happens but what I dont understand is the part of the business not having any insurance. How can a business operate without insurance. The article stated that customer property was damaged and that people were injured. Does not seem feasible that there was no insurance on a business. "

riceinhavasu wrote on Jul 21, 2010 8:34 AM:

" It takes alot to lose everything and pick up and start over with nothing. People like you with determination and not willing to give up is rare. Good Luck and the best to you and your business. "

J.kendall wrote on Jul 21, 2010 5:22 AM:

" Mike, I'm so sorry to hear about the fire. I delivered auto parts to you for many years. I'm glad to hear your going to rebuild and go on with business, you have been there for far too long to just call it quits. Wishing you and Joyce the best of luck.

Jane "

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