HOTEL GUTTED

Southland Times, Issue 21072, 2 May 1930, Page 8

HOTEL GUTTED

FIRE AT GREYMOUTH

THREE PEOPLE INJURED

BOARDERS ESCAPE IN NIGHT

ATTIRE

(Per United Press Association.)

Grey mouth, May 1.

About 3.30 this morning one of the worst fires in Greymouth for several years was discovered in the Royal Hotel, in Upper Mawhera Quay. It had a strong hold upstairs before being noticed, and a number of boarders had little time to get out. Several women escaped in night clothing and a number of men had only time to grasp their trousers. One young woman jumped from the upper window and sustained injuries. She was Mrs Howat, of Karieri, wife of Mr C. Howat, Jun. They were on their honeymoon and arrived yesterday. Mrs Howat was taken to hospital.

The fire spread through the hotel with rapidity and, the building being fairly old and its timber very dry, it was afire from end to end in a short space of time. The fire brigade had a difficult task, as the place was blazing when they arrived, and the wind was dead against them. This hotel was to have been taken over to-day by Mr Andrew Lees from Mr Williams. Nothing was saved from the hotel, which was completely demolished. More buildings were attacked by the fire, as the wind was strong and the water could not be got directly in front of the advancing flames. Brick walls kept the fire to the upper storeys at first, and Mr G. Webster had time to get the stock of his umbrella shop, although Mr S. Darrell’s sec-ond-hand shop adjoining was not cleared. The flames leaped across to the roof of the Railway Hotel, and that structure was doomed. Some furniture was got out, but it was impossible to save the rear part of the Railway Hotel, while cottages at the back of the hotel were destroyed. The fire threatened to cross over to shops fronting Mackay street, including Scott’s, but the brigade checked it. At about 4.40 a.m. the brigade had control. All of the buildings mentioned, as well as Milner’s jewellery shop and F. Dumble’s tobacconist shop, were damaged by dense clouds of acrid smoke.'

The Royal Hotel, owned by Mr J. A. Lutz, Wellington, with its contents, was completely destroyed. The insurances on the buildings are £l5O in the Queensland office, £lOOO in the Phoenix office, £250 in the National office, and £270 in the Standard office. The contents were insured, but the amounts are unavailable. The insurances on Darrell’s buildings, owned by Mr W. Mcllroy, are unavailable, but the stock was uninsured and the loss was estimated at. £BOO. Webster’s building was insured for £750 in the New Zealand office. It is understood that the stock was uninsured, but most was saved. The rear of the premises of the Railway Hotel was damaged by water. The building is insured for £4OO in the Northern office. The following persons were admitted to hospital —Mr and Mrs Howat and Mr A. G. Smith. Their injuries are not serious. Fireman Blocksage received cuts on the hand and Fireman Walton had a narrow escape, falling timber denting his helmet. The water supply was very good. A Gorge wind fanned the flames.