FIRE RAZES OFFICE

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31586, 25 January 1968, Page 1

FIRE RAZES OFFICE

Cause “Highly Suspicious” A fire which the manager of Templeton Transport, Ltd (Mr N. Thompson), described as highly suspicious, destroyed the company’s 26ft by 12ft office building at Bank Street, Templeton, about 5 a.m. yesterday. Mr Thompson said he had inspected the office block about 11 p.m., and nothing had been out of order. About 5 a.m. his son heard glass breaking in the office area, and saw that the office block was well alight. The fire also destroyed diesel and petrol fuel pumps, but there had been no danger of the fire spreading to the underground storage tanks, Mr Thompson said. When they noticed the fire he and his son drove away two trucks loaded with grain, four other trucks, and three cars, all of which were close to the burning building. Mr Thompson said that on several occasions petrol had been taken from the trucks’ tanks. “Others in the area have suffered more than we have," he said. The police are investigating the cause of the fire, which was put out by firemen from the Sockburn and Harewood stations.