FIRE IN THE CITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17458, 30 April 1920, Page 5

FIRE IN THE CITY.

METROPOLITAN HOTEL.

MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED.

TWO FLOORS DESTROYED.

A fire "which broke out at about two clock yesterday morning caused damage to the Metropolitan Hotel, a three-storey building, at the corner of Queen Street and Durham Street West. There were in the building over twenty guests, who with members of the staff had great difficulty in making their escape, most of them losing all their belongings. Mr. John Osburn, the third cook, was seriously burned, and several others were more or less injured.

The fire, as reported in gortion of yesterday's issue, started in the second storey, and spread with great rapidity along the passages and up to tho top floor. The first occupant of the hotel to discover the' fire was one of the boarders, Mr. Leo Feeney, who slept on the top floor. After giving the alarm to the inmates of the rooms on the top ' floor, he rushed down to the second storey and aroused Constable Smith, who was staying at the hotel. With difficulty they aroused the occupants of the rooms on this floor, and assisted tne women down stairs. Two women members of the staff made a dash to the rear of the hotel, and, getting out to the fire escape balcony, •became hysterical. They made more than one attempt to jump to the pavement, fully 30ft below. A policeman and, a fireman rescued them.'

Mr. Osburn was among the last to learn of the tire, and he made a dash through the flames to one of the windows of the upper storey facing Queen Street. Apparently overcome by tie heat, and with his clothes burning, he collapsed on the fire-escape, fierce flames issuing from a window just above him. He lay with his feet caught in the ironwork, calling for help. His sufferings must have been intense, and a sigh of relief went up from the small crowd that had gathered when it was seen that Mr. Osburn had been able to catch the framework of the Ureescape, pull himself up, and then drop to the verandah below, a distance of about 10ft. The unfortunate man was immediately assisted into the street and was taken to the hospital by motor-ear. Here he was found to be suffering from severe burns to'the head, hands, feet, and shoulders. Last evening he was reported to be in a critical condition.

The task of the fire brigade was one of extreme difficulty. The flames were leaping high above the roof of the building, with great columns of acrid smoke pouring frc 1 the windows. Nevertheless the firemen forced their way on to the fireescapes and the roofs of adjoining buildings, carrying leads of hose to the third storey from the three open sides of the building. They fought the fire stubbornly for nearly an hour before there was any apparent diminution in the fierceness of the flames. By a-quarter to three, however, their efforts had prevailed, Mid the fire was practically subdued. The fire had spread to the rear rooms above the lounge of His Majesty's Theatre, but the theatre was only slightly damaged by water. An inspection made yesterday morning showed that the first and second floors were completely gutted, and the ground floor was badly damaged by water and falling debris. « The stocks of liquor in the bar and cellar were not damaged. The Metropolitan Hotel is owned by the trustees in the estate of the late Mr. J. Campbell, and the lessees are Campbell, Ehrenfried, and Co., Ltd. Mr. B. Goldwater is the licensee, and Mr. Q. Taylor, manager. The building is insured for £5000, of which £2000 ig in' the New Zealand Office and £3000 in the Australian Alliance. The rental is insured for £600 with the Yorkshire Company, and the stock for £500' with the Royal Exchange. The furniture is' insured for £1000 with the Eagie, Star, and British Dominions Company.