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Last updated 10:26 pm CT September 06, 2010.
Antique Airplanes Destroyed in Hangar Fire
"I'm a 72 year old retired college professor that just lost a lifetime's collection of antique airplanes."
It took John Johnson 50 years to build his collection, but in less than two hours it was destroyed.
"Three of the airplanes in this hangar flew for the British and RAF in WW2. Then I have a couple of older ones and a newer one. My newer one is a 55 model."
Johnson says he was restoring the planes. Now, as he sifts through what's left, he hopes to find irreplaceable parts here and there to try to piece the planes back together.
"It looks like they are restorable if I can find the parts."
But the airplanes were not Johnson's only concern.
"I have a hangar cat, Katie the cat, and Katie is my only full time employee."
Katie was no where to be found.
"We looked at the shambles today and we looked all over."
And just when John thought Katie might have been a casualty of the flames...
"We have a survivor," John exclaimed as he cuddled the cat in his arms. "My wife found Katie sitting in the corner wondering 'what the heck is going on here'!"
Pinckneyville Fire Chief Jim Gielow says investigators suspect the fire started in an office, but they're not sure of the cause.
"Right now we don't know. We have an investigative fire marshal officer here just to investigate it. Not considering it suspicious but just to get their opinion on it as to what may have caused it."
Johnson was leasing the property from the Pinckneyville Airport so he is responsible for the repairs. Unfortunately, John did not have insurance.
By: Rachel Gartner
rgartner@wsiltv.com
Now: 1283846308
