$1,000,000 fire at Jeffery DeWitt destroys factory

$1,000,000 Fire

Strikes Kenova

HUNTINGTON, Oct. 29 UP — Fire believed to have started in a kiln used to bake insulators today turned the Line Material Co. plant in an inferno causing an estimated $1,000,000 damage.

Firemen from Huntington and Ashland and Catletturg, Ky., aided the Kenova force in extinguishing the blaze.

A heavy drain on the Kenova water supply during the breakfast hours hampered the firefighting. Kenova Fire Chief Charles Bocook said it took the Catlettsburg Water co. three-quarters of an hour to increase pressure sufficiently for firefighting purposes.

An official of the company, which manufactures insulators, said insufficient water pressure caused the plant's sprinkler system to operate improperly. Only a trickle of water went on the flames, he said.

The damage estimate was made by Bocook. Plant Manager Edward Gibbs said the loss included insulators valued at over half a million dollars, which had been crated for shipment.

Formerly the Jeffery-Dewitt Insulator Co. Line Material employed between 300 and 400 persons.

Officials said the Company plans to rebuild.