HOTEL FIRE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12040, 19 January 1925, Page 7

HOTEL FIRE

CHRISTCHURCH GLAZE ▲ SATURDAY AFTERNOON OON-FIiAG-RAMON. RUSH FOR SAFETY, Tha Dominion Hotel, us Gloucester street, next to the “Star” office, was threatened with destruction by fire . shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon (says the “Star”}. The outbreak was, however, suppressed before anv serious damage was done. The fire had ita origin in the gable of the roof at the rear portion- of the huildnig, having apparently been caused through a defect in the chimney. Dense smoke quickly emerged from all the ventilators in the roof, giving thesuggestion that the whole building was ablaze. Fortunately, however, -the flames never penetrated below the ceiling of the top floor, and, though a fair amofint of damage was done by water in the bedrooms in the rear wing nothing was burned except between the ceiling and the roof. The first alarm was given to the- Fire Brigade by a member of thd “Star” staff, who noticed smoke issuing from the building in Gloucester street. The fire alarm hex at the corner - of Gloucester and Colombo streets was also broken. It is believed ffhat the fire may have been burning for some minutes before being noticed, even' though a large number of- guests and members of the hotel staff were ori: th*/ top .floor _ at the time. As soon as it was noticed by those inside the building Mr Percy Curtis, the licensee, was informed, but lie was unable to get through to the telephone exchange. “I rang and rang and rang,” Mr Gratis bold a “Star” reporter, ‘Tint I could not oat an answer from the exchange. What was wrong I do not know.” The gable of the roof acted as a funnel for the smoke and the heat soon caused the automatic -alarm to ring. This had the effect of warning all the guests, and at once there was a rush bum the bedrooms to ascertain the trouble. RUSH FOR SAFETY, A ‘jStar” reporter .arrived at .the building within a- minute or two of th 9 alarm being, raised, and' guests and members of the hotel staff were then hurriedly collecting as much of their personal belongings as they- could carry and rushing away to safety. Meanwhile the automatic alarm was ringing continuously, adding to the tension of those in the budding. The guests included' several- members- of the Mnriel Starr. DramaticCbmpany, end .soma. of them were asleep when the Are was .discovered. Wardrobes were quickly emptied, however, and ae much as could ber removed in the excitement of the momentwas oarried to -safety. Several ladies, fainted under the stress and strain of the excitement. > Although the brigade was very ouiokly on the scene after receiving the alarm it seemed almost an interminable timo before eight or nine firemen leaped up the staira. handing np a lead of hoee with them. Their .appearance was a great relief to the guests, as the volume of smoke at this time made: it seem that' the building was' doomed- The water .was turned on immediately, and it. was not long then before the flames were under control. .Until the arrival of the brigade the hatel staff strove to keep the flames from spreading, by using the Tfbtel fire extinguishing plant. The- Maas was, however, too extensive to i be- dealt with effectively by such a smell- lead of hoee. The sight of the men with. Ae hose had Ae effect of relieving the guests of gome of their anxiety. mffiOTRIC WIRES MAY BE CAUSE. Superintendent Warner said that he believed flat the fire was causedfby electric wires fusing in the roof. A large crowd ouiokly gathered in front of the lmllding in Gloucester street, arid, judging, by the dense- volume of smoke that emerged from every opening on the top floor, iPappeared that the -fire had got a big hold: Sfech, however, was not the'case. From an opening in Ae middle of the roof in Gloucester street. Ae volume of smoke was particularly large, hut this was d!u« to Ae gable of Ae roof barring acted as a. funnel. The smoke was to dense that it hung like a nail over a portion of the street, cansing Ae crowd to shift further away from As building, ' Bv about 3-15 Ae fire was thoroughly under control, The damage-was confined mainly to-the rear wing of Ae building, although carpets on other floors were damaged by water. 'The building -is owned by Mr D. Young, who wa«- formerly licensee of the City Hotel. He purehaeed Ae free, hold a few weeks ago for £95,000. The fire spread a surprisingly long way towards the front of the building, along the roof. The place where it started -is immediately above the bedrooms allotted to Ae staff. A member of Ae staff who is on nighfcdnty was arisen in his bed. but was- awakened by the nows'of the fire overhead. He then noticed-that his room was very warm. Hooking np he eaw Ae flames. Be immediately grabbed his belonging* and rushed into the passage, where oAer members of Ae staff had gathered. •*