HAMLET — Police will soon be filing charges in a property damage case involving a memorial for the Seaboard City’s biggest tragedy.
According to the Hamlet Police Department, someone drove into and knocked over the monument at City Lake bearing the names of the 25 employees killed in the Imperial Foods Fire.
Police began investigating as soon as they were notified and were able to narrow down the time frame to 3:14 a.m. May 27, according to Maj. Hudson Chitwood.
Officers obtained surveillance video footage and were able to identify the suspects.
Chitwood said Thursday that the department is waiting on an estimated cost of the damage before filing charges, but added that estimate should be in later in the day.
The monument was erected on Sept. 3, 1992 — one year after the fatal fire.
The cause of the fire, according to a report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was a leaking hydraulic line, which had been recently repaired.
The autopsies showed that “virtually all” of the victims died from smoke inhalation “as opposed to direct flame injury.”
To compound the problem, owners had locked the doors to the plant — suspecting the employees of stealing — and a trailer backed into the loading dock, preventing the employees from escaping.
The disaster led to reforms in occupational safety.
In 2021, a special service was held to remember those lost on the 30th anniversary of the fire.
Click here to read about the survivors.
Click here to read about the fire.
Click here to read the perspective of first responders.
