The fire in a block of flats in Bengtsfors has made it into the Swedish national news over the past few weeks – suddenly putting the spotlight on an otherwise rather quiet little town in Dalsland. The fire broke out in the building opposite COOP, which housed a shoe shop on the ground floor. These were places we used to visit regularly for shopping.
Three flats were completely destroyed; a total of eight people have lost their homes. Fortunately, no one was injured, but many personal belongings and mementos have been irretrievably lost. The fire was caused by a fault in a tumble dryer. A small cause, but a huge impact!
Almost at the same time, in the last week of June, I was sitting in Trollhättan at Länsförsäkring, our home insurance provider, taking out cover for the listed Dalslands Studio against fire and the negative consequences of our business activities. Since our official registration as a small hotel, we’ve been a small business here and are responsible for the consequences associated with our business activities.
This insurance meeting brought home to me very clearly what insurance can cover – and what it cannot: buildings, contents and downtime can be calculated and insured against, but when personal belongings are lost in a fire or some other misfortune, there remains a gap that no policy can fill.
This also applies to the intangible value of Dalslands Studio as a historic site and to what Hajo and I have made of this complex over the past few years.
What truly endures lies in our memories: in the days we’ve spent together, in conversations, in images and smells – and in the knowledge that such places are vulnerable and that we can only protect them together.
That is why fire safety will play a vital role in the future for everyone who visits us here.