LMI Group’s Claims Services division, Loss Management International (“LMI”), has been appointed to manage the
multi-million dollar fire at Yatala (mid-way between Brisbane and the Gold Coast) that occurred overnight. It was a massive loss in anyone’s language, with more than 80 fire fighters and 28 vehicles working through the night in a frantic effort to save the carpet and underlay factory in Business Street, Yatala. However, it was completely destroyed.

The fire is believed to have started just prior to 8:20pm, with multiple triple zero calls being made at around this time. Nearby residents were told to remain indoors and the area around the factory, including some roads, was blocked from the public until about 1.30am. Police confirmed that, thankfully, there were no injuries.

Eight fire crews and police are in attendance at the scene this morning, carrying out dampening down on what remains. "There are still quite a few hot spots there because the factory was approximately 50 metres by 70 metres, so it’s quite a large area. They will continue to dampen down and make sure it’s fully extinguished", said one fire officer.

Police and fire brigade officers will investigate the cause of the blaze.

LMI’s role will be to assist in mitigating the losses, ensuring the business recovers as quickly as humanly possible, and calculating and presenting the insurance claim to insurers.

"Fortunately, we know the broker who arranged this insurance quite well, and he is not price conscious, but rather always concentrates on ensuring all their clients are well and truly covered; now that this has happened, the premium is forgotten. What is truly of importance is the quality of the cover, the claims service of the underwriter, and the financial strength rating of the insurer", said LMI Group’s CEO, Dr Allan Manning. "By taking this approach, it certainly makes our job much easier, which is to ensure that the business survives and that the enormous effort the owners have put into the business has not literally gone up in smoke."