HOTEL FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11872, 25 January 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

HOTEL FIRE.

HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES AND LOSS OF LIFE. South sea was the scene of happily unusual excitement, when the Queen's Hotel, one of the largest caravanserais that face the sea, was destroyed by fire a few days ago. The hotel was a handsome, many-storeyed building, well known to week-end visitors from London. It was filled largely with these at the time the fire broke out. The guests were all rescued, but two' domestic servants perished in the flames. The fire was discovered about four o'clock in the morning. It began in the basement, and the flames spread rapidly to the roof. Fanned by a strong wind, , tho building speedily became a furnace of roaring flames, and, though the Portsmouth' Fire Brigade was quickly on the scene, there was no chance of saving the hotel. When the alarm was raised the majority of the terrified visitors rushed out of doors in their night clothes. As it was raining heavily the shivering people suffered much from exposure until they were received by the hotels and boarding-houses close by. Some escaped by knotting sheets and blankets together, and thus lowering themselves from the windows. Others jumped out of bed and ran straight into the street. Needless to say the unhappy inmates of the hotel were horror-stricken when they found themselves hemmed in by a raging fire. Women were shrieking for help at the windows, frenzied with fear. The heat was intense, and blinding showers of sparks shot down from the roof and walls. Ladders were placed against the blistering hot walls, and up these ladders the firemen swarmed. Climbing through the lower windows they fought their way into the. rooms where visitors were imprisoned, and, seizing the terrified people iu their arms, saved them from destruction. BUB XT TO DEATH. When the roll was called it was discovered that two persons were missing. The name of one of the victims is Charlotte Cooper, 45, a widow, whose friends reside in London. Mrs. Cooper was head chambermaid. The other victim is Kate Harper, an assistant chambermaid. The hotel guests practically lost everything they had with them.