Garry Cassidy feels like he lost 37 loved ones in a devastating fire in the early morning hours of Oct. 25.

The Milner resident was in Palm Springs when he found out that his 10,000-square-foot shop went up in flames, and inside of it, 37 classic and rare vehicles were completely charred.

It took Cassidy 17 years to collect the vehicles.

The fire happened on Cassidy香蕉视频直播檚 property along the 7200 block of 216 Avenue in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

香蕉视频直播淲e got a phone call at 3:39 on Wednesday morning,香蕉视频直播� Cassidy told the Times as he stood in front of the burned remains of his car collection.

On the other line was a representative from the security company, who told Cassidy that there was a break-in and a fire alarm and that RCMP and the fire department had been called.

Cassidy said his wife Darlene went on the couple香蕉视频直播檚 iPad and 香蕉视频直播済oes onto our security camera and there was nothing.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎nd we went, 香蕉视频直播極h my God, this can香蕉视频直播檛 be good,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� Cassidy shared.

Five minutes later, a friend of the couple went to the shop and then called them with the bad news.

香蕉视频直播淗e phoned me and said, 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not good,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� Cassidy said.

The oldest car on the shop was a 1931 Ford two-door sedan; his prized possession was a one-of-a-kind 1961 Bel Air convertible.

香蕉视频直播淢ost of my cars were General Motors products,香蕉视频直播� Cassidy said.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 collectors and there香蕉视频直播檚 flippers. We were collectors. We hardly ever got rid of anything we bought, and this is how we ended up with these many cars.香蕉视频直播�

The cars and the shop are insured, but the emotional damage has taken a toll on Cassidy.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not about the insurance,香蕉视频直播� Cassidy said. 香蕉视频直播淪omebody said, 香蕉视频直播極h, he probably started it on fire because the market香蕉视频直播檚 down.香蕉视频直播� It香蕉视频直播檚 not about the insurance.香蕉视频直播�

His voice cracking, Cassidy pointed to what was left of one of the cars. 香蕉视频直播淎 million dollars wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 replace that car because it香蕉视频直播檚 the only one on the world.

香蕉视频直播淚 had a 香蕉视频直播�61 Impala convertible, but I can香蕉视频直播檛 tell you it was the only one in the world because it wasn香蕉视频直播檛. That Bel Air was the only one in the world. So that香蕉视频直播檚 what香蕉视频直播檚 really hard.香蕉视频直播�

He continued, 香蕉视频直播淭his Ferrari香蕉视频直播� they built 100 Ferraris, 355 F1s in 香蕉视频直播�99 but only 10 in the whole world were in black. That香蕉视频直播檚 one of 10.香蕉视频直播�

Cassidy said most of his cars had stories. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what I loved about them.香蕉视频直播�

Asked if he planned to rebuild, Cassidy answered, 香蕉视频直播淎bsolutely.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭his will be up in about six or seven months,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 always say to people, 香蕉视频直播榊ou drive by my place on Saturday morning, if the gate香蕉视频直播檚 open, and if my pickup is parked in front of the shop, come in. I would love you to come and see my cars.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 only the keeper of them.香蕉视频直播�

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the size of the shop.

troy.landreville@blackpress.ca
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