DESTROYED BY FIRE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 139, 14 June 1909, Page 2

DESTROYED BY FIRE.

A (BIG PRIVATE HOTEL. [BY TELEGKAPH — I>R__3 ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 13th June. Between three and four o'clock this morning tho Cafe Continental, a large brick throfe-storied private hotel, on the beach at Sumner, was destroyed by a fire that started in the top story, which was practically unoccupied. The >vhole interior of tho building was burnt out, and tho steel girders buckled, as a result of the intense heat. The occupants managed to escape, many being only lightly clad, but lost all their belongings. The origin of the fire is unknown. Two houses, one occupied by 'Mr. Henry Cotterill, and the other by Mr. Phillips, had their roofs damaged to a considerable extent from bricks falling from tha building, and the occupants had a, narrow escape from injuries. The city brigade was telephoned for, but .did not turn out, and the local brigade had to do the best it could with the appliances at command. They had a high-pressure ■water supply to draw on, but the blaze was too great for them to -make much impression on it. Only three walls of the building are left. The insurances, so far as can be ascertained, are — Building, in the Victoria Company for £1400; furniture and plant for £1000 in the Victoria. Mr. Cotterill's house is insured in the Phoenix. The cafe is the property of Mr. Riley. The Cafe Continental contained fortytwo bedrooms. It was built three years ago at a cost of £8000. It is the property of a company. There were fifteen guests and seven other? on the premises. Most of them lost everything, and some narrowly escaped with their lives. Heated, radiators were used, and there were no fires except in the kitchen and boiler-house. • The estimated loss is £5000 above the insurances. A BOARDINGHOUSE. CHRTSTCHURCH, 13th June. A boardinghouse in Montreal and Tuam streets in the city was practically destroyed by fire on Saturday night. It was owned by Mr. Thomas Wallace, and occupied by -Mr. 'Samuel Smith. The building is insured in the Liverpool, London, and Globe for £350 ; and the \ furniture in the Royal for £150. The | origin of the fire is unknown.