A SERIOUS FIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 224, 28 May 1896, Page 36

A SERIOUS FIRE.

Napier, May 23. A serious fir« broke oat at about 5 o'olock this mercing in the Masonic Hotel, the lessee of which is Mr Frank Moellor, the proprietors being Messrs Neal aud Cloao. By tho tima that the hoarders ware aroused the fire was spreading rapidly, and some of them enlj managed to escape in what they stood. Both the Napier and Spit brigades 'got to work quickly, but they h*d no ordinary task to copa with the fl*mes, whioh seemed to bo deapssfc rooted in the centre of the hotel. The fad; f&&6 the hotel was surrounded on all sides by briok buildings enabled the firemen to confine the flaaaes to tho Masonic and the wooden portion of Charles Palmer's livery stables. The baok portion of tho hotel, facisg the Marine Parade, was completely destroyed op to the central Bfoircaeo. The whole of the Hastings utr&et section is intact, but, of coons, thoroughly gutted, tho large brick portion of three storeys being practically undanuged. Tho goods in the shops of Messrs BJ. Baces^ord (tobacconist), R. T. Smjthe (bookseller" and stationar), Burnett (clothicc), and B:cle3 (chemist) were damaged by water.

The fire broke out in the kitchen. The alarm was first given by one of the servants, who was sleep s og in a room immediately above the kitchen, and was aroused by the suffocating fumes of smoke. He quickly woko the others sleeping in tb&t part of the building, and then pro<we:!ed to ring oat an alarm. Haw the fire started is a mystery, and will probably remain bo. Everything wm apparently safe vrhen the inmates of the house retired fos the night. Many of the boarder* loab the whole of their personal effects; indeed, several had barely time to dress, so rapidly did the fire spread. One of the heaviest losers is Mr Thomas Morrison, the weil-knowa journalist, who happened to be at Hastings last night, having gone there to report tba Premier's meeting for the Press Association. Mr J. Mftginnity has also lost mu-.h of his property, his room being almost immediately above the spot where the fire started. Amongst other boarders wera Mr and Mr* Birch, of Fotea ; Mrs Glendhdng, of Wairarapa; and tome tourist* from London, who are considerable losers.

The insurances as far aa can be ascertained are :— On the Masonic building, £4500, divided aa follows: Imperial £250, Aitiuncu £500, Standard £500, New SkaHnd £500, Phoanix £500, Loudoa and Lafcc&ivWrt: £500, Liverpool and London and Glohe £2500, North British and Mercantile £280, Victoria £250, Norwich. Union £1000. Cunte&ta of th« hotel: Norwich Union £1000, Manolifr-trtr £600, Uottsd £600. Mr Modler's library and effects were insured for £500 iv the Alliance, end his piano for £30 in the N-i-r Ze^-lwd. Paimor's stables wera insured for £100 in tho South British, and the contents fat- £100 in the Alliance. The briok stables, were damaged, bat these wera uninsured. Beresford's stock was injured for £150 in the Manchester. Smythe's stock was damaged to .the extent of £100, and is covered in the Manchester, New Zealand, and Victoria offices. Burnett's stock was damaged tn the extent of £400, but is covered in tho South British for £250 and ia tho Manchester for £250. Mr Moeller is a heavy loser.