Show County Count Warehouse-Garage Warehouse Road Equipment Lost in Fire Blaze Blazo Destroys Grand County Property Valued Up to Friday Morning I I II I I A loss estimated at nt from 35 35 15 to W was g sustained by Grand county Friday mornIng morning morn morn- Ing when fire of undetermined ed origin destroyed the county warehouse and garage The building was completely demolished de together with Its contents con tents which Included valuable road equipment and supplies Insurance of covering the he building only was carried The fire was reported at a am a.m. m and within a few minutes 16 firemen headed by oy Fire chief Marvin Clever were atthe at athe atthe the he scene It appeared that the fire had started In the front part of the building As the fire truck arrived at the scene oil oll drums inside the building exploded and the entire structure ture tune was converted Into a rag ing inferno with intermittent explosions of oil drums adding addingto to the hazards The heat was terrific a half block away Cause of Fire Unknown The firemen realizing that nothing could be done to save the county structure and its Us contents concentrated their efforts efforts ef forts on protecting the Maurice Maur ice Robertson residence located beat ed Immediately west of the garage The Robertson home was saved but it was badly scorched suffering damages estimated es at around A galvanized gal iron garage located between the home and the warehouse was credited with saving the Robertson residence For a time the Gerald Westwood Westwood Westwood West- West wood home cast east of the warehouse warehouse ware ware- house was also threatened An Investigation b by y Fire Fir e Chief Clever and Sheriff Robert Ro Ito bert Burr as to the origin o othe of f the fire tire was conducted but n no o immediate cause was discover ed Bert Jerome and Austin Berrey Ber Ber- rey county road employees had left the building about 8 am a.m. taking out a large caterpillar cater pillar tractor and road grader If It these two pieces of equipment equipment equipment equip equip- ment had not been removed the loss would have been increased in creased by another I Equipment Valued at I Equipment lost in the fire was estimated by county commissioners com corn missioners as having a value of from to It included in eluded a large loading machine which had just been purchased at a cost of a motor grader valued at spray machine tires 2000 two ambulance hearses ambulance hearses conservatively conserva lively valued at 1000 Ford FordI tractor an old International al dump truck tractor r and truck parts tools tool s I and small equipment 2000 lighting fixtures for county fair talc fairgrounds fairgrounds grounds oil ell and cants The fire tire department arrived at the blaze promptly and strenuously fought to confine the fire to the warehouse The firemen were highly praised for tor their prompt response and efficient work after reaching the scene Several of the volunteer firemen fire fire- men suffered minor burns but none was hurt seriously The firemen worked until noon before be be- fore tore bringing the blaze under control t Moab's Moab Worst Fire The fire was one of the most spectacular ever experienced at Moab and caused the greatest loss in the history of the town It was the first major fire to visit the community since theold the theold theold old Moab Coop op store burned down about seven years ago The blaze attracted most of the towns town's 1200 people but the spectators were orderly The fire tire department reports that in the main the spectators were cooperative although some con fusion was caused by cars getting get ting in the way of ot the tire the truck The fire firo department in inan inan inan an article published elsewhere calls attention to some of the I It Interruptions met with as a are re result suit sult of at spectator ec traffic and emphasizes the need for tor more g general cooperation i on on the part art g general cooperation i on on the part art of the public at time of ot t fires res artof One of the most moat grievous losses loss IOs lea es sustained in the fire was the Ule hearse ambulance ambulance hearse recently given Ien Ion en Grand county by the Mitchell Mit rm I chell Funeral Home of Price The ambulance valued con eon conservatively at 1000 had recently recent recent- ly been equipped with heaters blankets siren and other fix tures Lures An old ambulance previously pre prel used by the county was wui also lost in the fire tire Also AllO destroyed In the fire were chemicals chemical poisons and paraphernalia used by District Agricultural Inspector L L. B. B Perry in the noxious weed and insecticide programs A quantity quantity quan of potatoes and other com com- commodities modUles owned by the public welfare department were also lost Now Building Planned It is not the intention of the county commissioners to rebuild rebuild re reo re- re build a warehouse anywhere near as large as the one destroyed de In the fire according according- to Chairman R R. J. J Fletcher of the board An equipment shed with a n small fireproof building to house parts and supplies will probably be erected he said the shed shoed and storage quarters quarters guar to be enclosed In a substantial sub sub- fence Fire dangers from such a n setup would be at ata ata ata a minimum the commissioners believe The building lost In l Fridays Friday's fire was built as a garage some 25 years ago by Clay Davis It was about 30 by feet in size and reportedly cost to erect The county purchased the property about 15 years ago during the depression years for 1800 |