While VI Cargo, a shipping company with a branch on St. Croix, weathered Hurricane Maria and was functional after the storm hit, vandals used a blow torch on the entry door to the property and caused a destructive fire on the night of Sept. 20.
The fire caused a disruption in service and forced VI Cargo to move to its current temporary location, in the parking lot on the east wall of the old Carib hardware store, directly across Centerline Road from Sunny Isle.
Harrison Royer, general manager of VI Cargo in St. Croix, says that the torching incident occurred on Wednesday, Sept. 20, the same day Hurricane Maria pounded the territory.
The V.I. Police Department is investigating the incident but no suspects have been identified at this time.
In the aftermath of being hit by two category five hurricanes, VI Cargo is focusing on servicing its current and new clients. They are still catching up on work, but they are also actively shipping out full containers and vehicles. They are also working on shipping pallets, boxes and other items into the territory.
The temporary location will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily in order to help those with and without curfew passes. Employees were upbeat and ready to help clients with their shipping matters.
Looking back on the last few weeks, Royer admits “It’s been challenging but we’re getting through it.”
Those interested in shipping out full containers or vehicles (VI Cargo only ships out full containers or vehicles) or shipping items into the territory, including containers, vehicles, pallets or boxes, can contact VI Cargo online at VICargo.com or come see them across from Sunny Isle.
Anyone with information about the Sept. 20 fire at VI Cargo can contact the V.I. Police Department at 1-340-778-2211, or the anonymous tip service, Crime Stoppers USVI, at 1-800-222-8477.