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A massive fire that destroyed an uninsured Saskatoon salvage yard cost the owner his livelihood and about $400,000, a provincial court judge heard Wednesday.

“It’s the biggest life-changing thing that can happen to one person. No words can describe what the end result will be for me at this point,” owner Mike Schroeder said at the sentencing hearing for two teens, including the now-15-year-old who started the conflagration that sent plumes of black smoke over the west side of the city for five hours on April 19.

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Schroeder lost an unknown number of salvage vehicles and the business’s building, including a mechanic’s shop. Three regular employees and three casual workers lost their jobs.

Schroeder’s estimated losses so far are $400,000, but he is still waiting to learn what he’ll be charged for the environmental cleanup. Savings intended for his grandchildren’s education are gone now, too, he said.