A business owner could only watch as fire swept through his clothing shop yesterday at a busy shopping area on South Road.

Firefighters responded to the incident at Hose’s Fashions & Accessories, in Rural Hill Plaza, but most of the stock inside the store was destroyed in the blaze.

The proprietor, Gerald Sims, who has owned the business near Paget stop lights for 28 years, told The Royal Gazette: “It’s like I have lost a family member.”

Mr Sims, a popular former goalkeeper for BAA and Bermuda, estimated that he had lost $40,000 to $60,000 worth of goods in the blaze just as the holiday shopping season started to pick up. He added that he did not have insurance.

A video that circulated on social media showed flames and black smoke billowing out of the unit as firefighters battled to put out the fire.

Jay Donawa, a divisional officer with the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, said that the blaze was reported at about 1.50pm.

Twelve firefighters worked to quell the flames, which Mr Donawa said were extinguished quickly.

Firefighters were removing scorched items from the business, which specialises in menswear, at 3.15pm.

Mr Sims, whose shop takes its name from his nickname of Hose, believed the fire must have spread quickly from a candle that shattered in a glass inside the business.

He said: “I was outside the store, talking to a friend when we saw the flames — but by that time it was too late.”

Mr Sims said nothing like it had happened before but vowed that the fire would make him stronger.

He explained: “They said the front [merchandise] is gone; we don’t know about the back.”

Mr Sims said that he would be grateful for any assistance that could be offered, particularly stating that a bobcat would be useful.

He thanked customers for their years of support for the business and said he looked forward to welcoming them back in the new year.