FIRE IN HOTEL

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 58, 6 September 1945, Page 8

FIRE IN HOTEL

ARSON SUSPECTED

A fairly serious outbreak of -fire on the top floor of the New Commercial Hotel last evening caused some apprehension to the occupiers of the building, until the fire brigade had the blaze effectively under control. There were two outbreaks of fire, the first being discovered on the landing at about six o'clock, when a few clothes and cleaning material were found to be alight. This was easily extinguished by the staff, but the large blaze, which was noticed a minute or two later, had assumed alarming proportions. The brigade was summoned and five fire engines from Central and one from Thorndon attended. Two leads of hose were taken up the stairs and with these the fire was soon put out. The top floor of the building is used as a kind of storing room, and because of its comparative bareness the firemen were able to move unhampered. In spite of the distance from the roadway there was a good pressure of water. The first three calls to the brigade came from the South British Insurance building, the A.M.P. building, and the Colonial Mutual Life building. These were followed by seven other calls. Because of the fact that the two outbreaks occurred almost simultaneously, arson is suspected and the police are investigating.