The Carevan Foundation vehicle, a labour of love for Albury orthodontist John Brabant, was consumed in the $250,000 blaze that destroyed a St Vincent De Paul Society storage shed in Richs Lane, South Albury, on Sunday night.

Dr Brabant said the van’s first trial run had been scheduled for Thursday.

“It’s devastating news but it’s not the end of the dream,” he said yesterday.

Dr Brabant planned to have a new van before the official launch of the Carevan Foundation on June 5.

The event will act as a fundraiser for the foundation, as well as for Youth Off The Streets, and will be attended by that organisation’s chief executive, Father Chris Riley.

That task was made easier when late yesterday Dr Brabant heard word Jayco Albury- Wodonga had offered to donate a caravan as a replacement for the van, with Rotarians also chipping in to fit it out with cooking appliances.

“It’s just fabulous,” Dr Brabant said last night.

“It shows the community support that’s out there for this concept.”

Dr Brabant said insurance negotiations for the former sausage van had not been completed at the time of the fire.

The van cost up to $20,000, including cooking equipment.

Dr Brabant was at Deniliquin for work yesterday but his wife, Jenny, visited the laneway to survey the damage.

The scene was taped off as fire investigators searched through the rubble and worked to secure the site.

Wagga-based NSW Fire Brigade duty commander Kernin Lambert said the hazards had included asbestos and the threat of collapse.

“The positive side of this is that we’ve been able to contain the asbestos to the site,” he said.

Mr Lambert said firefighters had also done well on Sunday night to remove LPG canisters stored in the shed.

Firefighters are still investigating the blaze but say it is not being treated as suspicious at this stage.