WANGANUI HOTEL BURNS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 14254, 31 December 1946, Page 3

WANGANUI HOTEL BURNS

HISTORIC LAND MARK

DESTROYED

GUESTS ESCAPE BY LADDERS

Wanganui, Dec. 30

Shortly after ten o’clock to-night the Rutland Hotel, in Victoria Avenue, Wanganui, caught fire and guests had to escape in their night attire as the old wooden building, one of the historic land marks of the city, blazed up.

The Wanganui Fire Brigade, with five leads of hose, got to work promptly and also used a pressure Pump to boost water to the blaze from the river two blocks away. By 10.30 the staircase leading from the bedrooms on the first floor was fully ablaze and ‘ impassable and what guests were then in the building bad to make use cf balconies and la.dders Put there by the fire brigade. The fire seemed to have a bold in the back portion cf the first floor and crime creeping toward the avenue. ■ It was at its height as picture theatres closed, and big crowds and picture trains were held up. The lire was still blazing at a late hour.