The Herald Bulletin - Lapel fire ignited by spark from tool

Sun, Nov 22 2009

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Fire destroyed the Hickory Funiture Designs, Inc. business located at 107 W. 14th Street in Lapel Wednesday morning.
John P. Cleary / The Herald Bulletin

Firefighters from seven area fire departments were called to help fight the fire Wednesday morning at Hickory Furiture Designs in Lapel.
John P. Cleary / The Herald Bulletin

Business owner Brad McQueen, right, watches with his daughter Janelle McQueen and her fiancee Matt Cosgrove as flames destroy his business.
John P. Cleary / The Herald Bulletin

Lapel fire ignited by spark from tool

By Aleasha Sandley, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer

Chris Boots has clear memories of the building, where he started his business, CJ Boots Casket Co. in spring of 1999. He spent the first year of the business there, starting with three employees before the business quickly outgrew the building.

“There were lots of memories,” he said. “There was a candle factory in there before we were, so we built a lot of caskets smelling candles.”

Boots said as a wood-working operation, fire is always a fear.

“I was pretty shocked,” he said. “It kind of made my heart skip a little bit. We take great pains to make sure those things don’t happen.”

Boots’ casket company spent this week going over new fire safety standards and equipment. He said wood-working businesses should have separate sections for electric tools and chemical sprays and finishes.

“We sure enjoyed being there in Lapel,” he said. “We always tell that in our story, that we started in Lapel. It was a great place.”

Contact Aleasha Sandley: 640-4805, aleasha.sandley@heraldbulletin.com.

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