A small business owner in Tredegar has been left devastated after his new £17,000 burger van was destroyed in a fire, which he suspects was started deliberately. Joshua Jones, 27, who runs The Munch Stop burger van service, discovered the blaze in the early hours of Tuesday, November 6, just weeks before the arrival of his first child.
Joshua, who previously worked as a bailiff, decided to pursue his passion for cooking and local produce during the Covid pandemic, creating a mobile food business that has grown increasingly popular in the local area. Reflecting on his decision to start The Munch Stop, Joshua said, “I found a burger van for a decent price on the market. My family didn’t want me to jump into it, but I did, and up until last night, it was the best thing I’ve ever done.”
At around 2am on Tuesday, Joshua received a distressing call alerting him to the fire. Upon arrival at the van’s usual pitch on Sirhowy Hill, he found the vehicle severely damaged and noted three large gas canisters had been placed outside, raising concerns that the fire may have been set intentionally. “It’s heartbreaking,” he said. “I got home at about three o’clock in the morning and I haven’t slept yet because of the adrenaline. I sat on the settee and just cried. Every bit of love and passion of mine has gone into the business and the van, just for somebody to come and do this – I just don’t understand.”
Joshua expressed his gratitude that a passerby had called the fire brigade in time to prevent a complete disaster. “If someone hadn’t stopped and called the fire brigade when they did, the entire van would probably be gone. My second burger van was literally 15 yards away. If the gas bottles had gone up, I don’t know what would have happened.”
The van, which Joshua purchased only three months ago, was intended to help him expand his business as he and his wife prepared for the arrival of their baby, now due in six weeks. “We were just hoping to bring in some extra money while my wife was on maternity leave, now that idea has literally gone up in smoke,” he said, noting that the new van had absorbed nearly all of their savings.
While Joshua is thankful he can still operate from his original van, the financial impact of the fire has cast a shadow over his family’s future. “We just can’t afford this financially right now. Our insurance won’t pay out, so financially we don’t really know what we’re going to do,” he explained. “Luckily, we’ve got another van, but we’d spent all our money on this one over the summer, and now it’s completely burnt out. It’s the last blow we need six weeks before our first child is born.”
Joshua, who has made a name for himself not only by serving quality food but also by actively supporting local causes, is deeply shaken by the incident. “I try as much as I can to look after our customers and the community. I take the time to go to charity days for completely free, that’s why I’m just scratching my head as to why this has happened,” he said.
Since posting photos of the fire’s aftermath, Joshua has received an outpouring of support from the community. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help him and his family recover, and another local business has offered to donate new fryers to support his efforts in rebuilding.
Go Fund Me page: CLICK HERE
