Free food after freezer fail

ICE creams and apple pies were snapped up at bargain prices in Boort on Saturday morning after freezers at the town’s supermarket spluttered to a halt.

Junior cricketers playing in the Northern Rivers cricket semi-final at Boort District School oval and the tennis club also received special free deliveries as IGA staff rushed to save melting stock.

And customers in the final hours before store closure early Saturday afternoon had bonuses in their shopping bags.

Owner Dalip Chawla said some stock had been stored in ice freezers to also minimise losses.

“With the compressor failing, it was better to give stock away to minimise waste,” he said.

“That way, we are looking after each other.”

Mr Chawla estimated two trailer loads of stock had to be dumped at the town’s rubbish tip.

The compressor cooling four freezer units at the store had been repaired Friday afternoon before it again failed the next day.

Mr Chawla said refrigerator mechanics were scouring Australia for a replacement compressor. “There may also be issues with the controllers and we want to make sure any replacement doesn’t give us more grief,” he said.

Mr Chawla hopes the four freezer units will be back in operation within days but remained unsure on Monday.