Local business loses all vehicles in a devastating fire.

Rob and Margaret Sheehan who own and operate Manuka Firewood Products, also known as Cambridge Firewood have been serving Cambridge and delivering quality firewood for over 25 years. Sadly, on the 22 Feb an unexplained fire in their implement shed destroyed all of the machinery Rob and Margaret use to load and deliver their firewood for free to customers around Cambridge.

The cause of the fire is not yet known and the respective authorities are investigating.

Firewood businesses do not have much margin and as a result Rob and Margaret had only been able to pay insurance on the little 2 cubic metre truck which was fully and insured and the 8 cubic metre truck and van which many of you will remember were only insured with third party. Sadly, the cost to insure the shed and tractor was to high and these have been totally destroyed.

Rob and Margaret are incredibly generous people and have given away many thousands of dollars worth of firewood to people over the years and never asked for anything in return.

Along with they shed and and tractor Rob and Margaret have lost the majority of the tools they use. All of these tools have been painstakingly acquired over many years of hard work. Also destroyed was a motorbike Rob uses to tow a trailer around and a tow-able lawn mower. These tools are crucial for rob to use as he is getting older and his body is not as robust as it used to be. Rob has been self employed his entire life and is an incredibly hard worker. Rob is meticulous in the care and maintenance of his equipment and much the gear he lost he has owned for over 20 years. Rob has owned his van since 1992.

The value of the shed that was lost was around $16,000 and the tractor which Rob has slowly modified to allow him to keep working and paying his mortgage in older age was approximately $25,000 by the time the bin tipper and hydraulics were added. The combined value of everything that was uninsured is difficult to account for but exceeds well over $100,000.

Rob and Margaret live in a small and very old house which needs the out side panels replaced and Rob has slowly milled the best macrocarpa and cedar firewood logs into boards to reclad his house and all of this timber was also lost in the fire.

Please consider supporting these hard working and kind hearted people that love their business and customers. Rob and Margaret have also lovingly cared for 2 parents and a close family friend at their home and then endured significant personal loss of in a short period of time. For all those that have met Rob and Margaret you will agree they are some of the nicest people you have met.