Insurance woes after hundreds lose possessions in Storage King fire

Hundreds of victims who lost possessions in a fire that destroyed a storage facility south of Brisbane have been dealt a further blow over insurance, as the investigation into the cause is closed.

Hundreds of people who lost possessions in a storage facility fire at Kingston have been told their items were not automatically insured under the business, with investigations now deeming the blaze “undetermined”.

The devastating fire that gutted Storage King in Kingston last Friday left more than 200 customers heartbroken as they discovered beloved belongings, business stock and even entire homes had been lost.

The storage facility was completely gutted, with QFES, police and employees unable to enter due to safety concerns. Picture: Facebook/Sim Lee

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and Queensland Police have confirmed with The Courier-Mail that the cause of the fire has been finalised as undetermined due to the area being too unsafe to enter and make full investigations.

Several victims have taken to social media to share their heartbreak and frustration including one Facebook group dubbed “Victims of Storage King fire”, where many have learned under business terms and conditions it was the owners’ responsibility to insure their belongings.

Unit owners have been unable to access the site to see the damage. Picture: Facebook/Hayley Lee

One group member Emma Stevens said she was “beside herself” after “losing everything”.

“Our whole house. All our memories. Our whole life is just gone.

“I’m feeling for everyone affected. I had no idea it wouldn’t be automatically insured when placed into storage kings units, just assumed being a huge company it would be,” the post read.

Other members have contacted lawyers and filed complaints with the business in an attempt to receive compensation.

Tammy Robinson, who runs charity formal business Formally Ever After and lost a bulk of her stock in the fire, said even if she was insured or received compensation it would not replace the products and memories in the unit.

“They’re very clear when you sign up if you have a facility you cover it with your own insurance and for me you can’t replace those memories that people give us, you can’t put a value on these dresses, really,” Ms Robinson said.

Tammy Robinson from Formally Ever After has dress thousands of students such as Carinity Education Southside students Janaya and Jade for their school formal. Picture: Supplied

The charity, which was founded in 2019, aims to provide dresses, suits and formal wear to students struggling to afford the event however after just getting married days prior and moving house, Ms Robinson placed a bulk of her stock into the facility.

“We’ve lost thousands of items of formal wear ... my heart broke when I saw that storage unit,” she said.

“A lot of my heartbreak is I feel like I have let people down because they gave me their dresses to pass on to the students and its gone, I know it's not my fault, but that’s just how I feel right now.”

The community have wrapped their arms around Ms Robinson with the charity owner receiving hundreds of calls each day to gift donations.

“I am so grateful, without the community I would still be sitting in the corner crying. Every time someone messages me or calls me ... saying they’re going to donate stuff it just makes my heart heal that little bit more.”

Any further investigations and process have been handed back to Storage King, according to police. Picture: Facebook/Hayley Lee

A Storage King spokesperson told The Courier-Mail 225 of the 545 customers were in the significantly damaged portion of the building, but were still unable to examine the full extent of the damage due to safety.

“Parts of the building are still structurally unsound and we have been unable to allow access. What we do know is that part of the L shaped building that contained circa 250 storage units has been significantly damaged by the fire. The section adjoining the fire damaged building with circa 90 storage units potentially has some smoke damage,” the spokesperson said.

Under Storage King’s rental terms and conditions on their website, “goods are stored at the sole risk and responsibility of the storer who shall be responsible for any and all theft, damage to, and deterioration of the goods, and shall bear the risk of any and all damage caused by flood or fire or leakage or overflow of water, mildew, mould, heat, spillage of material from any other space, removal or delivery of the goods, pest or vermin or any other reason whatsoever”.

In the insurance section of the site, it also states to be aware that “belongings are not automatically insured when placed in our storage units” and highly recommend all customers “obtain suitable insurance coverage to protect their items whilst in storage”.

Every customer with a storage agreement is offered storage insurance, some choose to use their personal insurance coverage or not to take out contents insurance coverage.

“This is a devastating situation for our customers, our people who are part of this Kingston community and our business,” the spokesperson said.

Originally published as Insurance woes after hundreds lose possessions in Storage King fire