THE GRAND HOTEL FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1901, Page 2

THE GRAND HOTEL FIRE.

INQUEST ON THE VICTIMS.

MEDICAL EVIDE_.CE.

The adjourned inquest on the victims of the Grand Hotel fire—the three Johnston children, Fredk. Ayres and Miss Wallace—was resumed this morning at the Central Hotel, before Mr T. Gresham ( Coroner). Sub - Inspector Mitchell represented the police. Mr McLeod, solicitor, was present on behalf of Hancock and Co.

The evidence of the licensee (Mr Johnston), taken at a previous sitting, was read over to the jury.

Dr. McDowell deposed that he reached the scene of the fire almost immediately after the alarm. The building by that time was completely enveloped in flames. He proceeded at once to the Northern Club, whither the injured had been removed, and found Misses Wallace, Morse and Boyd lying there. Dr. Reid was already there. All three women were conscious, and Mis_ Wallace was crying out, "My head, my head." He could observe that her injuries were chiefly about the head, one side of her face being badly bruised. At Dr. Reid's request he administered a hypodermic injection to Miss Wallace, and then turned bis attention to Miss Boyd, who was complaining of pain in the groin and the lower part of her left leg. Witness applied a temporary splint. He' accompanied Miss Morse and Miss Boyd to the Hospital in the ambulance, which then returned for Miss Wallace and brought her back to the Hospital, along with Miss Myers. Witness remained at the Hospital until they arrived He then examined Miss Wallace and found her in a state of almost complete collapse. The usual stimulants and injections were used to revive her, but the case seemed to be hopeless from be start. The injuries he saw were undoubtedly consistent with the theory;tliat she had fallen from a great height and had struck some sharp projection in Sling. Everything possible was done for hl_, but in spite of all effort- she ToThe* Coroner: When he left the Hospital, after waiting three-quarters of an tour after Miss Wallace s arrival, witness was satisfied that nothing Lore could be done. When leaving he anticipated a fatal result. To Sub-Inspector Mitchell, -here wi no unnecessary *"•«£"£ want of attention before she was taken to the Hospital. To the Coroner: In the case of Miss Wallace be considered the cause of X. was the severe shock resulting fCth heVor_ m an: When witness arrived at the fire, the fire brigade were vigorously at work. To a Juryman: He thought the ambulance might be improved on very much. It belonged to thei St .John Ambulance Association, and was the oidy one in Auckland. They had to walk the whole way and even then the jolting was so gTeat that he had to hold Miss Morse nearly the whole time The springs were much top strong, and the whole v<-_hi_l« too heavy. He did not think the jolting of the ambulance accelerated the death of Miss Wallace, but it certainly increased the pain and discomfort of fhe journey to the Hospital. MR JOHNSTON'S STATEMENT.

Alexander Johnston deposed that he had been licensee of the Grand Hotel for about three years. When he took over the hotel it was a brick building, with 23 bedrooms for the use of the public, with others for private use. There were five rooms and a bar on the ground floor; drawingroom and sitting-room on .the first floOr, while on the second floor in addition to the private bedrooms were the bathrooms and the room occupied by Miss Wallace as a bedroom. Additions to the hotel were commenced in August lost at the back of the original building. Five additional bedrooms were built for the servants on the basement floor, besides kitchen, scullery, washhouse ajnd wine cellar. On the first floor were a large diningroom, a bedroom, pantry, billiard room, boot room, and passage wa3'. The second floor contained one sitt'»n »•■ room, nine single and two double bedrooms, and a bathroom. The orily appliances for heating air or water were confined to the basement, floor of the new building, in the southern corner. There was no wood work about the kitchen and : scullery except the flooring:. Communication between the upper floor and the basement was by means of two staircases. The back staircase in the new building was not a continuous one, as one had to walk along a -Oft passage on the first floor before continuing1 the descent. • his evidence, Mr Johnston stated that there were three fireescapes on the level of the first floor of the old building-, and the second floor of the new. These were iron ladders with platforms accessible by passage windows, distance about 20ft. from the transverse passage which led on to* the back staircase. Two of the ladders were on the water side of the bouse, and one on the south side, and all three led down into the basement of the well. The main or circular staircase was distant some 32 feet from the passage window on the south side, and. 50ft. from the passage window on the opposite side. There was also the front staircase, thus making in all four means of escape from the first floor—two wooden staircases and two 'iron ladders. From the second or top storey of the old building, the means of communication with the level' just described consisted o*f the continuation of the main or circular staircase, and two iron ladders, with platforms, on the top floor, access to which ladders was had through windows. There were also fixed wire ladders with iron "treads," supported in the centre by iron brackets. These ladders led from the passage windov/s of the top floor of the old building to the platforms outside the passage windows on the lower floor. The platforms and passage windows opening on the well (continued witness) were on the first floor level. The outlets to the ground floor were (1) a flight of twelve wooden steps leading into the boot-room, and thence by a passage into the main front hall leadiug to the street; (2) a back passage leading to the back door on the basement floor of the new building.at the rear. None- of the doors in the rooms leading on to the front balconies were locked. No means was provided *°r reaching the ground from either balcony, but instructions had been gben and measurements taken the afternoon before the fire for providing the necessary escapes from the balconies.