The owners of the Eden Greenhouse were not insured at the time of the fire last Friday; the damages are expected to amount to dozens of millions. Plans for reconstruction are already in place but both the municipal authorities in Hveragerdi and the Sparisjódur Vestmannaeyja (Westmann Islands’ savings bank) have expressed interest in partaking in the reconstruction.
From Hveragerdi, South Iceland.
The ruined building is under surveillance from local authorities. Selfoss Police Department, the forensic department in Reykjavík and additional experts are currently investigating the fire.
The company was the property of Eden Aldingardur and belongs to Gunnar Magnússon and his family. Last year they started the company with another family but bought them out earlier this year. “In the long period of hard work with further developments, and security system, we failed to purchase company insurance for the interior and the storage space,” Magnússon told Morgunbladid. No decisions have been taken as of yet in regards to reconstruction but Magnússon has received phone calls from enthusiastic investors since the fire.
The building itself was insured and the town officials will decide what will be built on the 1.2 hectare property; Magnússon will co-operate with them but for the meantime the matter is in the hands of the insurance company.
Magnússon is not the only one to suffer financially. Locally-produced products such as handicrafts and paintings from local artists sold on consignment were destroyed in the and employees are left unemployed following the fire, including the Magnússon family who worked long hours on the premises every day.
However, a rare collection of 10 stuffed birds was yet to be placed in the Eden Greenhouse and escaped the flames.
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