Timber yard seeks justice over arson

AN $800,000 fire at a Launceston timber yard could easily have become a $10 million disaster and resulted in a temporary business closure, Neville Smith Forest Products chief executive Andrew Walker says.

Surveying the still smouldering heap of burnt Tasmanian oak yesterday, Mr Walker said the company was considering a reward to try to bring the culprits to justice.

“We’re discussing a reward with Crimestoppers to assist in discovering who the culprit was and try and prevent it happening again,” he said.

The company, which employs 50 staff, will assess its security at the southeastern end of the site in Remount Rd where the arsonists are believed to have entered the site over a barbed wire fence.

He said the fully insured 240 racks of high-quality timber were destined for markets all over Australia as well as international markets.

“We’re still assessing the true value of the stock and the damage bill could definitely rise,” he said. The timber burnt was particularly valuable because it was nine months into a 12-month air-drying process.

“The fire is a big impact (on the business) because of the time it takes to dry,” he said.

He said the wood had come from Forestry Tasmania native forest crown land.

Mr Walker said sawmillers around the state had offered stock to replace the destroyed timber.

He said the company was completely dumbfounded by the arson attack on semigreen timber.

Police are analysing CCTV footage from surrounding businesses but Launceston CIB had no update yesterday on its investigation.