Giles Brown
A MYSTERY fire has gutted two floors of a well-known furniture business in Estepona.
Police are now probing the reasons behind the blaze at Big Blue Box, that destroyed hundreds of thousands of euros of furniture, most belonging to private individuals.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Friday morning at the Atena Commercial Centre, completely destroying the showroom, as exclusive Olive Press photos show.
As firefighters struggled to control the massive blaze, the area was cordoned off as smoke blew across the nearby main road.
Nobody was injured in the blaze, but investigators are now looking into a series of issues surrounding the shop’s owners Bennie and Debbie Glynn.
In recent months the company had been the subject of complaints by some customers who were unhappy with the service they had received, with several contacting the Olive Press.
A friend of the couple confirmed that they had recently received threats from the owner of a valuable table and chairs, which he claimed was ‘worth tens of thousands, but was sold for just 600 euros’.
“I think the issue scared them a little,” he said.
According to sources, the couple had also recently received a huge electricity bill, believed to be around 15,000 euros, while they denied they had been cut off.
On top of this, in July a group of Spaniards picketed the store, claiming that the couple’s daughter owed them 3000 euros and had destroyed the apartment that she had been renting from them.
Last night, the Glynns insisted the rumours were merely ‘tittle tattle at a delicate time’.
Mr Glynn added: “Loads of people on the coast don’t like us because we are a successful business.
“They are just jealous and spreading rumours. It is a horrible time.”
Big Blue Box specialised in selling second hand furniture for private individuals, who left their items in the showroom.
In a bizarre twist the Olive Press has discovered that the building was the scene of a fatal fire in 1998.
In the tragic blaze, the owner and a member of staff were killed when the furniture store El Mogollin burnt to the ground.
early hours…,,,,,,, mmmmm no further comment !!!!
Word on the street say’s it definitely wasn’t an electrical fault as their electricity had been cut off for not paying the bill due to a lack of finances! work it out for yourselves…
must be great living next door to you two, must be such popular people (not)
Yet another insurance claim.
Did they find the Seat of the fire ?? Never mind….
Isn’t it strange that they were removing the best and most expensive pieces of furniture the week before out of their premises and left customers own sale stuff in-store!!!! I hope they get investigated thoroughly this is not for real!!!!!
maybe you lot should be investigated goodness knows what we might find.
why are you so judgemental or is it jealousy, usually is
I think there was a big fire there a few years back when they were just openeing and two people were killed –
I had two beds in there… The lady sand husband seemed nice so I never asked for a receipt to have them in their showroom on consignment. I would check in every so often to ask if they’d had any luck selling the beds. I wonder how they intend to compensate the owners of the stuff in there. It’s my understanding almost all of the furniture in there was on consignment. I hope they don’t intend to claim money from the insurance company for other people’s furniture, and if they do, that it’s with the intention of compensating them.
Carla, people don’t normally get jealous over a fire at a furniture store.
@ Rich …do u think Rich …lol, read the article , they may answer your suspicions .lol.
It is said that the Glynn’s moved a lot of expensive furniture out of the shop a week before the fire, maybe the police should investigate their other store. This is not sour grapes, but if this is a scam then it should be looked into for the sake of their clients who have lost all their furniture
I reakon you lot should find the truth out first instead of getting aggressive over the internet if you have something to say say to them not blab over the internet
only a few days ago and already missin you Bennie god blesses you and the way you do bussiness…
@ Dan ….well said Dan , these people have nothing better to do with there sad little lifes , and probably DONT even know the people mentioned in the article, n if they do know them then they should speak out in person ….But ooooooo nooo , they want to hide behind the internet ..SO PEOPLE ..SHUT UP .
FRED, by jealous I mean the people who spout all the crap are people who are jealous of people in business. these nobodys are
usually inadequate people who sit on their fat arses usually claiming benefits and have nothing intelligent to contribute to society. best if they shut their mouths and got a life.
Such a shame, that this happened, to such nice people. I have put goods into their shop, and never had any problems.
What more can i say ! ! !
Typical ex-pat rubbish. He did this, she did that. Most brits are living here hand to mouth and barely scrape by whilst putting on airs and graces for the benefit of their friends back home. I avidly detest brits even though I’m one myself. The fire department will establish the cause of the fire. If it was arson the appropriate steps will be taken. Never do business with any brit is my advice. Lying thieving b astads.
Mrs Slocombe, most of those Brits you mentioned are on this website, and I’m trying to get rid of them by various means of transport asap!
Agree a lot do definitely live here car boot sale to mouth.
For sure this was planned, these people do not have a good reputation! I hope the bomberos find out how the fire started, ;-)
What a sad lot of bitchy jealous people live on this coast, can’t believe the nasty comments left here. I have dealt with this company on and off for the last 5 years, always helpful, always paid me when I left things to sell and offered me a fair deal when I bought things from them. They should be offered support from us EX Pats, I also believe he owns the building so can’t imagine he would torch it, he’s been here long enough to know the unregulated Spanish insurance never pay out without legal battle, if the business was in trouble I’m sure it would be safer to liquidate!! We are all in the same boat here and would be easier if we all rowed in the same direction. Enough said!!! Paul N Sotogrande!!
“these nobodys are usually inadequate people who sit on their fat arses usually claiming benefits and have nothing intelligent to contribute to society. best if they shut their mouths and got a life..”
Yes, Mr Stevens should take note.
i worked for ben and debbie a couple of years back and they where great with me really nice people ,sad about the shop and sorry for them
ive had dealings with bennie and debbie over many years and also worked for them and can only comment on what i now wich is they are the nicest people to be with and treated me very well , so no bad comments without proof you sad expats !!!
I know Debbie and I also know the people on this coast how judgemental they are after living her 31 years and having many things happen to me and my family. Think people should keep their opinions to themselves and if they have something nasty to say about someone man up and say it to their face! Can’t stand back stabbers and nasty gossip! Its malicious! If you haven’t seen it with your own eyes don’t open your big fat mouth I’d say!
By the way i desperately need to contact Debbie before Tuesday 30th September and I don’t know how can anyone help me??
Considering my mum and dad “THE GLYNNS” lost everything much appreciated if you kept your comments to yourselves. Get on with your lives and leave my mum and dad alone, they are the nicest people you could ever meet so enough of this, people who left their furniture there knew it was at their own discretion, they were trying to sell it for YOU.
ive known debbie and benny 40 years and still speak to them and my opinion is they are the same people just had some bad luck both great people , its just a shame that those of you who are bad mouthing them never had the guts to go and face them head on !!!!
@bobby. Have you got an update as to their location, I am sure a few people would be interested to “face them head on” do let us know.
@Bryan
More than happy to give you our contact details!