
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, December 19, 1994                   TAG: 9412200045
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GALAX FURNITURE FACTORY BURNS; CALLED TOTAL LOSS

A Galax furniture factory caught fire Sunday afternoon and was still burning Sunday night.

The New River Furniture Industries plant on Virginia 89 was a total loss, Galax Assistant Fire Chief Harvey Hennis said.

"It must've been held inside until a passerby saw it," he said. "There's not hardly anything left."

Hennis said his department got the call at 3:15 p.m., and at 8 p.m. firefighters were still battling spot fires.

Hennis said the plastic, foam and other upholstering materials in the building provided fuel for the fire.

A plant employee watching the blaze said 24 people worked there. He said the company manufactures specially ordered, high-grade living room furniture.

Hennis said the building is owned by Jack Higgins of Galax, and the plant is operated by Long Fo Chao of Charlotte, N.C.

Chao could not be reached for comment.

No one was injured in the fire. Hennis said it was too soon to determine a cause.

by CNB