John's bus and business burn

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 228, 26 January 1988, Page 1

John's bus and business burn

Raetihi businessman John Dempsey arrived back at work after his lunch break last Tuesday in time to see his livelihood go up in smoke.

Mr Dempsey, who operates out of McLachlan's Transport in Raetihi, could only stand helpless and watch as fire consumed his 1971 Bedford l)us which was in the process of be-

ing re-upholstered. M r Dempsey said ovcr $8,000 had been spent on the bus on re-wiring and restoring the interior. The bus was well alight by the time the Raetihi

Voluntcer Fire Brigade arrivcd at 12.15pm. Chicf Fire Officer Alcx Weir said the brigade spent an hoiir extinguishing the fire which rcduced the vehicle to twistcd charred metal and threatened two othe: buses parked nearby. A Novalite skylight in the depot metrcs awav was buckled .in- the heat of the blaze. A shockcd Mr Dempsey said he had no idea whalsoever of the cause of the fire, while investigarions by local police Constable Johri Robinson revealed no suspicious circumstances. An assessor from Wanganui visited the site o n Wednesday but no information was available at the time the Dulletin went to print. Mr Dempsey said a bus from the McLachlan fleet will be used to fulfil Winstone Pulp Mill's contract for transporting workers to and from work until the bus, valucd at $36,000 is replaced.