No Sign Of Arson In Brussels Store Fire

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31378, 25 May 1967, Page 13

No Sign Of Arson In Brussels Store Fire

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

BRUSSELS, May 24. Belgian legal authorities have failed so far to find any sign of arson behind Monday’s department store blaze in Brussels i n which 303 people are feared to have died.

Asked whether rumoured anti - American arson by pro-Chinese Communist* was inspected, the Brussels Chief Police Commissioner, Mr Andre-Ullen de Gryse, told reporters: “So far there is no positive element entitling us to conclude that a criminal act was Involved.” Insistent rumours have blamed the same young Com-munist-led youths who twice demonstrated last week against an “American fortnight” sales drive in the seven - storey “Innovation” store for sparking off Monday’s inferno. Mr Bolle, the general manager of the gutted store, said last night that a similar incident occurred in one of the store’s goods depots last week. It was now almost certain, he said, that Monday's blaze began in the dress department for little girls, where there were no electrical appliances such as heaters or Irons.

Later today bodies recov- I ered from the still smoulder- 1 ing ruins will be assembled ! in a special mortuary where i

the next of kin will try to identify them. “But only a very small number could be identified,” one rescuer said.

“Ninety-five per cent of the bodies or parts of bodies we are now recovering from under the debris are so charred disfigured or mutilated that they are beyond recognition.” Mr Bolle last night said that in addition to the bodies then recovered, 281 people were missing 28 hours after the fire outbreak. Of these, 163 were lunchtime shoppers, including several children, and 118 were store staff.