A FIRE HAS “completely decimated” a family business in Co Wexford.

Wexford Fire Service said it was alerted to the blaze at Hendricks Tyres in Enniscorthy shortly after 7pm yesterday.

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The fire was brought under control and the fire service remained on the scene until around close to midnight.

Wexford Fire Service said two units of Enniscorthy Fire Brigade were alerted to a large industrial Fire on Rectory Road in Enniscorthy at 7.06pm.

A turn table ladder, and two units from Bunclody Fire Brigade, assisted the operation.

The blaze was brought under control a short time later and the incident ended at around 11:45pm.

Speaking to The Journal, Pat Kehoe, the Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District, remarked that the “business is completely decimated”.

“The building is burnt out, the roof has collapsed and there’s nothing salvageable in it,” he added.

Kehoe was at the scene last night and returned this morning.

“It was an inferno, really, and it was burning aggressively for over an hour, with intense heat.”

The business was founded by Bill Hendricks and has since passed down to his son.

However, Kehoe said Bill “never really retired from it”.

“I was listening to Bill Hendrick’s daughter on South East Radio,” said Kehoe.

“She said her dad is in his 70s, and is up and down every day to the business, even though his son took over the business.

“Bill never really retired from it, he was still up and down every day, doing bits and bobs.

“It’s a passion, it was his life sure for so many years.”

He said that the fire is “devastating” for the Hendricks family.

Speaking on South East Radio, Bill’s daughter Holly Hendricks also described the fire as “absolutely devastating”.

However, she said she had been “overwhelmed” by the kindness shown by the people of Enniscorthy and further afield.

She added that the fire-damaged building felt like “the end of an era”.

Elsewhere, local TD Johnny Mythen remarked that it is a “sad day for Enniscorthy and especially the Hendricks family”.

He said the tyre business was “gutted and destroyed by what you could only describe as a mini-inferno”.

“The Hendricks have served the community and have helped businesses and customers to get back on the road in quick time,” said Mythen.

“Our thoughts and good wishes are with them, and everyone hopes they will recover from such a devastating blow and return to their workplace as soon as possible.”