The latest estimate of damages from the devastating fire at Momart.

The latest estimate of damages from the devastating fire at Momart, an upscale art storage facility in London, is $109 million, according to insurers working forward the case. Hundreds of works were missed in the May 24 blaze, including more than 100 contemporary pieces belonging to Charles Saetchi. Reduc to ashes were numerous well-known works by way of key YBA figures such as Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili, the Chapman Brothers, Sarah Lucas, Gary Hume Richard Patterson and Tracey Emin, including the latter's famous pavilion sculpture Everyone I Ever Slept With 1963-1995 Important examples by dint of Patrick Caulfield, Paula Rage, Michael Craig-Martin and Craigie Horsfield were also consum by means of the flames.

Investigators say that the conflagration apparently broke not at home in the wake of a burglary in a neighboring building. A thief allegedly started the fire to help mask his or her tracks. individual burglary suspect was arrested in late May, however the 23-year-old man was by and by released on bail, and the arson charges were dropp suitable to a lack of evidence. A trial date has not been wager at this writing.

Besides Saatchi, a number of other prominent UK collectors as well as several art galleries and institutions that used the facility beared enormous losses. Some 150 works from Leslie Waddington Gallery and 20 important ceramic pieces from the British Crafts Council collection are gone Fifty major paintings according to the late Patrick Heron, including many featured in his late Tate retrospective, were destroyed, as were 40 paintings from the 1960 on abstractionist Adrian Heath. Nine Barry Flanagan carves 12 Gillian Ayers paintings and at least 14 major pieces from the estate of the late photographer and conceptual artist Helen Chadwick were also missing Works by American artists are among the missing as well, including pieces through Frank Stella, Alex Katz, David Salle and Michael Joo

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