Fire destroys shop at Jackson business

A fire early Thursday morning destroyed a section of a family-owned business that has been operating in Jackson for 23 years.

The shop at the rear of Busey Truck Equipment Co. Inc., 1840 S. Farmington Road, burned at about 7:30 a.m.

According to Jackson firefighter Steve Baugh, the fire was an accident, started while an employee was welding a piece of machinery. Sparks from the welding torch ignited a flammable liquid, he said.

Baugh said employees tried to put the fire out with extinguishers. But because several vehicles were inside, the fire quickly spread through the shop.

Two employees and a firefighter received minor injuries and were taken to the hospital. Jacob Beine, 25, and Lucas Beine, 27, grandsons of the Busey family, both suffered third-degree burns on their legs, said their mother, DeeAnn Beine. Cape Girardeau firefighter Matt O'Loughlin received stitches after cutting his hand, Baugh said.

DeeAnn Beine, who also works at the business, said watching the building being engulfed in flames was difficult, but everyone was relieved no one was seriously injured.

"Everyone's doing real well," she said. "We'll be back to work on Monday."

The business manufactures truck bodies and body parts and sells truck parts and accessories as well as industrial equipment. It was opened in 1983 by Pat and Jerrel Busey of Jackson. Their children and grandchildren operate the business today.

"This is the first time anything bad has ever happened here," Pat Busey said.

The shop was built two years ago. Beine hopes to have it rebuilt within two or three months. Another section of the building received minor damage but is fixable. "It could have been a lot worse," Baugh said.

About 55 firefighters from fire departments in Jackson, Cape Girardeau, Millersville, Fruitland and Gordonville, and the North County Fire Protection District responded to the fire.

Thursday's fire was the first time the Jackson Fire Department used its year-and-a-half-old ladder truck inside city limits. Baugh said the department has used the truck for fires in Cape Girardeau and Chaffee but never in Jackson.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246