Corner's Court Cause Of Hotel Fire At Akaroa Not Established

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29778, 22 March 1962, Page 19

Corner's Court Cause Of Hotel Fire At Akaroa Not Established

Four persons died of asphyxia caused by burning w.ien the Hotel Metropole, Akaroa. was destroyed by fire early on January 3, the Cironer (Mr A. T. Bell) found when the inquests into he dearths were concluded yesterday afternoon. Those who died were Thomas James Crotty, aged 23 a driver, of Akaroa. Oreti Patricia Knowles, aged 34. a divorced woman, and her sons, Toni Francis Knowles, i-zed 14. and .Allan Kevin Knowles, aged 12.

Extensive police inquiries ■ -ed to establish the cause of the fire.

Detective Chief Inspector M Brown. Sergeant C. D. McMeeking. and Constable G A. Lithgow represented tne police at the inquests. .Albert George Bryant, of Upper Riccarr.on. the owner f the hotel, said he held the tence for about five years ■o November 5, 1961, when he -ased the hotel to Mr B. P. King at a weekly rental. The wooden hotel, of two storeys. as built in 1907. In November, 1959. rough-cast was put ■in the outside walls. The insde walls were finished in scrim and paper over wood. The main switchboard was ■ n the wall of the foyer near the office. A stand-by petrol plant in the washhouse in the yard at

-he rear supplied power for 12 lights in the event of a power break. The plant did not supply power to the lights in the bedrooms. A switch fitted to the switchboard cik off power when the main supply was overloaded. The premises were complertely rewired by the Banks Peninsula Power Board in ’959.” the witness said. "Four fire alarms were fitted to the sterior walls. They were tested before I left the hotel, and were in good order. "I have been a member of the Volunteer Fire Brigades’ Association since 1923,” the witness said. "I am the present station officer of the Akaroa Fire Brigade. In my opinion the hotel complied ’ ith the Egress Code in everv detail. lamat a loss to nderTand the cause of the fire. The hotel was insured, but I will be a heavy loser.” Licensee’s Evidence Bernard Peter King, licensee of the hotel, said that before he went to bea about 11 p.m. he completely examined the premises, as was his custom. He removed the plug which supplied power to light decollations on the Christmas tree tn the foyer, and after counting the money in the lounge bar till went to bed. He was awakened by shouting and screaming, and when he opened his bedroom door was scorched by flames.

“I slammed the door and assisted my wife to climb out on to the fire escape.” the witness said. “We walked along the fire escape to the next room, occupied by my wife’s sister, Barbara Dunn, aged 14. The room was full of smoke I wakened her and managed to get her over to the window. Her bed was on fire when we got there, and she was slightly bufnt. The three tf us climbed down the fire escape to the ground. Until I could do no more I assisted occupants of the hotel to escape. My wife checked each occupant as he or she escaped.” The building was soon demolished. It was then found that four persons had not been accounted for. He inspected the safe with the police, and it was found intact.

"I am at a loss to account for the fire,” the witness said. "When first noticed it appeared to be concentrated in the middle of the hotel. I held an insurance policy to cover the stock and fittings, but I had increased stock for the Christmas holiday period, and will be a heavy loser.” Ronald Allenby Bull, a chef at the Madeira Hotel. Akaroa, said he had a similar position at the Hotel Metropole when it was destroyed. When he went to bed about 12.30 a.m. everything was in order. “The next thing I remember was being overcome by smoke.” the witness said. "I opened the door and found the passageway in flames. I then climbed down the fire escape. I lost all my belongings. When I got to the yard I saw the rear of the hotel was comparatively free of flame.” Discovered Fire James Anthony Newsome, a hairdresser, said that at Christmas he took a position as a barman at the hotel. He returned to the hotel about 1 a.m. on January 3 after having a swim and visiting friends. “I walked along Lavaud street past the front of the hotel and around to the rear door,” he said. “Near the dcor I noticed flames and smoke in the passageway which led from the foyer towards the rear door. "Immediately I broke a window’ near the back door, and shouted ’Fire’ to awaken the occupants. I ran to the front of the hotel, climbed up on to the first floor landing and assisted people out of their rooms. "I remember Mrs Ennis, mother of Mrs Knowles, standing on the landing outside Mrs Knowdes’s room screaming and knocking on the window.” the witness said. "There was smoke all

around the room. I told Mrs Ennis to get down the fire escape. I broke the window of Mrs Knowles’s room, but it was full of smoke and flames, and there was no response to our calling. It was impossible to get into the room.

“Mr Crotty's room, near Mrs Knowles's, was also a mass of smoke and flames when I was standing on the fire escape beside it. I had no chance of smashing that window, and there was no response from our calls. "I then concentrated on getting Mrs Ennis down the Are escape. I climbed down one of the fire escapes and I told her to climb down and jump and I would catch her. She climbed down part of the way, and I took hold of her and assisted her the rest of the way. We both fell down, “I tried to get on to the fire escape by the room where the two Knowles boys were.” the witness said. “The flames w’ere so thick that two firemen restrained me.” Desmond Stephen Brocherie. a seeds machinist, of Christchurch, said that he and his wife and his brother. Lou Brocherie, and his wife, were guests at the hotel. He was awakened by his wife, who said someone had shouted, “Fire.” The passage outside their door was in flames. They were both in their night attire and they got out on to the fire escape. Attempt to Return

When he was half-way through the window he remembered he had left his wallet under his pillow, said the witness. He tried to get back into the room, but flames burst through and he had to give up the idea. In her haste to get down the fire escape his wife slipped and hung for a moment or two. She finally jumped into the arms of a man below waiting to catch her.

“In my haste to see if my wife was all right, I fell when descending the fire escape and landed on my head on the ground. I was knocked unconscious, and when I came to I was across the street at the front of the hotel.

"My wife and I lost all cur clothing and personal belongings which we took to the hotel.” the witness said. Olive Rita Ennis, a widow, the mother of Mrs Knowles, said her daughter occupied a room next to hers. That evening the two Knowles boys went to the pictures, and returned about 10.15 p.m. Their mother was in her room, and after kissing her goodnight they went to their room, where they occupied a double bed. The head of the bed was near the window.

Detective Thomas Joseph Knowles said he carried out inquiries into the fire. The remains of an adult male and female and two teen-age males were found in the ruins. The switchboard was examined by an electrical engineer, and there was no evidence of internal heating in it to indicate an electrical fire. The annual police inspection of the hotel showed that it fully complied with the Egress Code. The cause of the fire had not been established.

Two Of Staff Praised

The courageous effort of James Anthony Newsome to arouse the occupants of the Hotel Metropole, when it was destroyed by fire on January 3, and his assistance in their evacuation, without regard for his own safety, no doubt saved lives, said Detective Chief Inspector M. Brown in die Coroner's Court yesterday afternoon. Mr Brown also paid a tribute to the wife of the licensee, Mrs B. P. King. Her actions in identifying each occupant of the hotel as he or she was evacuated, while herself under considerable stress, greatly simplified the work of the police in establishing the identity of those who lost their lives in the fire, Mr Brown said.

The Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell) said he fully supported the remarks made by Mr Brown. He also expressed his appreciation of the full investigation made by the police and the comprehensive evidence presented to the Court.