Wool Destroyed By Fire Was Insured

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1948, Page 3

Wool Destroyed By Fire Was Insured

Press Association J

(Per

WELLINGTON, Nov. 1. The 2500 bales of wool destroyed in Saturdav night's fire at Levin and Companv's wool store was insured for its full valuu of approximateiy £100,000 and the building for £40,000. Almost all the wool destroyed was new season 's c.lip recently brought into store. Being fully insured, the growers coneerned would get full value for thq wool, it was stated today. It was not tliought anything would be salvaged, said the managing direetor of the company (Mr. John Dunean) •today. He added that the major loss ■ was in wool, although there were a few hides and skins in the building, As yer the offiee safes had been too hot to opeu, but it was hoped the records inside would be int.act. Many of the records were duplicated in the head offiee, so that their loss would not be a great handicap. The firm had two other stores in Wellington, but as a result of the fire no slipe wool could be liandled as the equipment to dump the bales had been destroyed. The whole building would have to b: demolished, said Mr. Dunean, adding that his ilrm greatly appreciated tho oflfers of assistauce from all other stock and statiou agents. Investigations into the fire have been handed over to the police, the superintendent of the Wellington Fire 'Brigade (Mr, G. A. Woolley) stated today. ' ' They will make full inquiry into the fire and one or two other things. Tho cause of the Jire has not been ascertained. It developed in an inexplicable manner. I have been up to Ivaiwarra this morniug, and I have come to some eonclusions, whieh I will be presenting in my report to the fire board. " JNf r. Woollev added that the automatic alarm installcd in the building was . set to go off at 150 degrees (Fahrenlieit), a temperature generated by onlv a small fire. Yet when the first maehine arrived at the fire only four minutes later the outbreak had reaehed brigade-call eondition. Superintendent J. Dempsev, thcoflicer in cliarge of the Wellington police, said that the collecting yesterday bv deteetives of certain charred and other debris was a precautionarv measure in case an inquiry was instituted. Thm was usually done in the ease of a large lice.