OLD HOTEL GUTTED

Evening Star, Issue 19518, 28 March 1927, Page 5

OLD HOTEL GUTTED

HARROI ESCAPES [Psa United Press Association! AUCKLAND, March 27. An old building of twenty-seven rooms at the Great South road tram terminus, Ellorslie, formerly the Harp of Erin Hotel, and latterly used as a boardinghouse, was totally destroyed by fire about 2 o’clock this morning. The occupants—Airs Bidgood (caretaker) ami her two daughters aud one son, also Mr A. Love (proprietor of a saloon on the premises) and his wife_ and family of three children, also an immigrant who was staying in the house for the night—all had narrow escapes, getting out in their night attire. One of Mrs Bidgood’s daughters had a particularly thrilling experience. Waking up to find the bedroom full of smoke, she rushed to the other side of the room to wake th’ children, and just as she did so her bed crashed through the floor into the billiard saloon below. A motor accessory shop and petrol bowser station alongside the building were also demolished bv the flames. Fortunately the petrol in the tanks was not affected, though the crowd watching the fire expected an explosion at any time. All that was left of the whole building was one chimney left standing and four upright petrol pumps badly burned. It is understood that the building was insured for about £3,000 in the Commercial Union, New Zealand Insurance, and Eagle, Star, and British Dominion Offices. The petrol service station was not insured, as the erection of it ha’d nob been quite completed.