DISASTROUS FIRE AT WAIKINO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13171, 8 May 1906, Page 5

DISASTROUS FIRE AT WAIKINO.

MONTGOMERY'S HOTEL

TURNED.

OTHER BUILDINGS DESTROYED

EXCITING INCIDENTS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COBRKSTOXDJS.VT.]

Waiiu, Monday. A most disastrous fire occurred at Waikino on Saturday night, and before the (lames could be subdued they had destroyed Mr. Montgomery's large hotel, the shop of Mr. A. Howarl.li, tobacconist and hairdresser, Mr. J. Heunesy's tailoring establishment, Montgomery's billiard saloon and stables, the police station, and Constables Elavcll'.s dwelling, besides partially restroying Mrs. Maberly's board-ing-house.

How the fire originated is at present involved in mystery, but it appears that Mr. Montgomery, 'icensee of the hotel, which is owned by Messrs. Campbell and Elirenfried, of Auckland, - had closed his bar at the usual time, and after 1 attending to other things, was making preparations with a view to closing up the house for the- night. Prior to this he had taken his cash-box to his room upstairs. Tho bos contained something like- £80 in notes, all of which was lost. KEROSENE DRUM ON FIRE. The first intimation of the tire he re-. ceivwl was an alarm from a boarder, Mr. It. Chester. The latter was on his way to bed when ho noted a Bickering light in tho lamproom. , Rushing to see what (lie cause of the fight was, ho discovered that

the kerosene drum was on fire- and that the flames were creeping up the wall. He immediately gave the alarm, and with great courage took the burning drum in his arms and earned it outside. The process was a most painful one, for he received terrible burns about the hands and arms. His clothes also became ignited, and if it had not been for the promptitude of two fellow boarders in smothering the flames, it is quite possible he would have fallen a victim to the fire.

In the meantime, Mr. R. Montgomery, hearing the cry of fire, obtained a bag of salt out of the storeroom, and essayed to smother tho flames, but without avail, for in a remarkably short time the fire had extended the. whole length of the building. The great heat caused by the ignition of the kerosene in the lamproom made matters worse, and in about ten minutes from the time the lire was discovered the hotel was enveloped in flames.

The staircase soon caught, so that all access to the second storey was completely cut off.

GREAT EXCITEMENT.

Upstairs the greatest excitement prevailed. The boarders and servants, were roused by Messrs. E. Montgomery Hannon, and a number had barely time to escape, the fire-escapes and back windows of the hotel being used. Fortunately no lives were lost in the rush, though nearly all the boarders and inmates lost all their personal effects, there being no time to save anything. Mrs. Montgomery grabbed a. shawl as she was escaping with her two children. . She lost all the ■cloth-' ing had. .-.. ' .

The fire lost no time in adding to the havoc it had already caused, . and being faimed by a;slight south-westerly wind the flames spread across the street to the stables owned by Mr. Montgomery, and also to the uper side, where the police station stood. It was not long until the police office and lockup caught tire, the residence of the constable subsequently being demolished.

Constable Flavell, who had been working hard in the street, when he saw the danger of his house at once set to work to secure the police records and papers, and all were saved, but, unfortunately for himself, he was not able to save any of his own furniture, all of which was destroyed. Constube Flavell's personal loss is , estimated, at about £100 above the amount insured. Mrs. Maberly's boardinghouse was also partially destroyed. On'the other side of the street the fire was playing havoc, and there being no water supply in the township, it seemed as if the-whole street of shops was going to be wiped out. Some people became frantic, and a large amount of stuff was thrown out hito the streets, but several of the business people wisely refilled to | allow any of their slock to be removed I until it became absolutely necessary. WAIHI COMPANY'S PREMISES. The lire had now a great hold, and only for I lie Waihi Company's employees and the use of the company's Are appliances, it is questionable if there would have been a business place left. The company's high pressure watcr-ra.ee was tapped, and a, strong lead of water • being obtained, a stubborn light with the flames ensued. The Waihi Company's firemen, however, soon stopped the progress of the fire, and prevented any further destruction, though the shop of Mr. R. Shaw, grocer, had a very narrow escape, one wall being burned. Mr. Montgomery is a very heavy loser, as, in addition to the £80 in notes which he took upstairs to his room, a good deal of money was left in the iron safe, also a gold watch, valued at about £50. The safe also contained about a dozen watches, chains, rings, and other jewellery, placed there for safety, being the effects of boarders and members of the. family. The safe was not strong enough to resist tl>e heat, and all ,were destroyed. THE INSURANCES. The insurances were as follows: — Hotel (owned by Messrs. Campbell and Ehrenfried), £2500, in the Imperial ; Mr. R. Montgomery's furniture and stock, £1300, in the Imperial Mr. Montgomery's billiard saloon, £150 in the Imperial; also,

£50 on the stable in the same office. Mr. Montgomery estimates his loss at about

£2000 above the amount recoverable' by insurance. Mr. A. Howarth, hairdresser, was insured for £50 on the stock and fit-

tings in the Imperial office ; Mr. J. Hennessey, taTTor, £100 on stock and fittings, in the Imperial office (estimated loss above insurance, £120); Constable Flavell, furniture and effects, £125, in Norwich Union (estimated loss, £100 over insurance); residence of Constable Flavell (owned by Mr. H. Benner), £150, in the Imperial; Mrs. Maberly's boardinghouse '(owned by P. Smith)," £100, in the Imperial. Mr. J. Higgins, baker, was covered to the extent of £50 on shop fittings, but there was no insurance on the furniture .

Mr. Montgomery's hotel had about 50 boarders and 11 employees at the time. The former have experienced great difficulty in obtaining accommodation. .Many are now coming to Waihi, whilst others are sleeping in the Victoria Hall, kindly lent for, the occasion.