WATKINS, Colo. (KDVR) — An Aurora family is picking up the pieces after their small business was devastated in what fire officials believe was an act of arson.
The family said three concrete trucks belonging to their business, “One Way Transport,” were destroyed in a fire on Aug. 23. The owners, Luis and Abigail Quezada, are now asking for the community’s help in finding the person responsible.
“I’m not sure what would cause somebody to get to this point, you know, to want to try to end someone’s livelihood,” said Luis Quezada, who founded One Way Transport in 2020.
The couple was woken up by a 2 a.m. phone call in late August, from a friend who informed them the trucks were on fire. By the time Luis arrived at the business’s parking lot, the three targeted vehicles were destroyed.
Surveillance footage from the scene shows a person on the property before the fire started.
“There’s a picture where they’re holding a can, they have like a jug in their hand, and they just set fire to the cab,” Luis said. “So anything from the cab forward, engines, hoods, everything’s just gone and destroyed.”
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating the incident, but couldn’t share details, according to a department spokesperson. Fire officials believe the act was arson.
The Quezadas said the financial damage has been a major hit. They said the trucks, all worth about $50,000 to $80,000, were not covered by insurance for arson-related damage.
Now with fewer trucks on the road, the family has been forced to lay off employees and operate at just 75% of their normal income.
“We started growing our family, and the business was doing so good,” Abigail Quezada said. “These are the things you don’t really think are going to happen overnight.”
More than money, the couple said the incident was a major scare for them and their five children. With their safety in mind, the family is doubling the Colorado Fire Investigator’s reward for information leading to an arrest, bringing the total to $10,000.
“We were very concerned for our safety,” Abigail said. “I feel like if anyone is willing to do this to a business, who knows what they’re going to do.”
The family has also started a GoFundMe to help cover costs related to the fire.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
