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

DATE: THURSDAY, April 27, 1995                   TAG: 9504270087
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

MARTINSVILLE FIRE DAMAGE CLIMBING

Damage from a fire that destroyed two renovated furniture factory buildings could reach $3 million, officials said Wednesday.

At least five businesses, including the American Antique Mall, either were housed or had warehouse space in the buildings.

Martinsville Fire Chief Lewis Reeves said the Tuesday fire was ``the largest, quickest-spreading fire I've seen in my 27 years on the job.'' He said high winds helped spread the fire and made it difficult to control.

Reeves said Wednesday he was unsure of the cause of the fire and that damage estimates were still coming in.

Aegis Manufacturing Co. estimated its loss at $500,000. The company makes above-ground storage tanks.

The contents of the antiques mall were destroyed, including a Wooton desk built in 1874 and valued at $20,000, according to Ray Lambert, an Axton auctioneer who helped develop the property.

He said that when employees were evacuated from the building there was no indication the fire would spread to the antiques mall, so no one thought to remove the desk and other valuables.

But when the wind shifted, the antiques mall was engulfed by the flames.

by CNB