Cleanup waits okay at San Jose nursery ruins

San Jose, Calif. — SummerWinds Nurseries officials stated late last week that the cause of a fast-moving fire that burned the 9,900 square foot garden center to the ground here Aug. 29 still has not been determined. Frank Benzing, company president, indicated that progress in that area has been slow, but noted that it’s certain at this point that it was accidental. He also reported that cleaning up and salvaging is still on hold awaiting the go-ahead from the fire department. Benzing said some 500 or so four- or five-pound boxes of mostly organic fertilizer were consumed. He added that the fertilizer was a factor in firefighters deciding to let flames burn instead of risking chemicals getting into the nearby Guadalupe River. “That was one thing the fire department really liked, because organic helped their situation on the burn,” he said. After the site is cleared, Benzing expects a “fire sale” of salvaged plants and pottery as a fundraiser for the local fire department. The company will put up a temporary facility for the holidays prior to rebuilding and try to find jobs for employees at its other locations. The nursery has been located at the same location since the 1960s, and was acquired by SummerWinds in 1998.