Stricken haulage boss vows to carry on (From Bournemouth Echo)

Stricken haulage boss vows to carry on

8:30am Tuesday 17th November 2009 in

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“I FEEL like somebody has ripped my soul out.”

These were haulage boss Andrew Trotter’s words as he prepared to take delivery of rental vehicles to keep his business going yesterday following a £1 million arson which saw six lorries and five trailers destroyed.

He said he and his colleagues were determined to keep AET Transport Services Ltd on the Holton Heath industrial estate operating.

As well as the destructive fire a trailer and a fork lift truck were also stolen.

Detectives are appealing for information following the blaze on Saturday night in which fuel tanks and aerosol cans exploded.

Mr Trotter, who owns the specialist factory relocation business with wife Sally, told the Echo they had lost 20 per cent of the fleet.

All the drivers were told on Sunday what had happened and yesterday the extent of what had been lost was being assessed.

Mr Trotter added: “We are notifying the customers that are going to be affected with goods that were lost in the fire.

“I feel like somebody has ripped my soul out, my heart out.

“We have to carry on. We have been going for 32 years. We had a vehicle stolen in 1990 or 1991 but this is the first time we have had anything like this.

“We have had a lot [of clients] on the phone this morning saying how sorry they are and if there is anything people can do to help.”

Police and fire crime scene investigators were at the scene between Poole and Wareham on Saturday and Sunday and investigations continue.

The stolen trailer is blue, 45ft long, has ramps at the back and carries the company name and the fleet number T18 on the offside.

The blue and white Hyster forklift truck was attached to the rear of the trailer.

Call Dorset Police on 01202 222222 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.