THAMES HOTEL DESTROYED

Southland Times, Issue 25795, 5 October 1945, Page 4

THAMES HOTEL DESTROYED

OCCUPANTS’ NARROW

ESCAPE

(Special) THAMES, October 4. The Queen’s Hotel, a 12-roomed twostory building on the corner of Queen and Albert streets, Thames, was destroyed early yesterday morning in the most destructive and spectacular fire in the town for a long period. The alarm was given at 3.15 a.m. and the flames, fanned by a strong north-west wind, converted the wooden structure into an inferno which the Thames volunteer fire brigade was unable to check, although it was able to save a wooden house a few feet away which also caught fire when the wind carried the flames across to it. The four occupants of the building, Mr A. E. Rabbidge, the licensee, Gloria, his nine-year-old daughter, Mr F. Begueley, jockey, of Thames, and a young woman boarder, escaped only just in time in their night attire, Mr Rabbidge having his hair singed. Mrs Rabbidge was away at the time. Nothing was saved except a few clothes which were thrown into the street. With liquor stocks and furnishings, some of which were new, it is estimated the loss will be several thousand pounds. Four firemen who were struck by bricks when a chimney collapsed were slightly injured. They were Superintendent F. P. Wilton, Foreman L. Hays, Firemen R. Comer and A. Robinson. All but Mr Comer, who received medical treatment, were able to carry on. Intense heat was generated by the fire and within an hour little of the building remained. Built in'T9l3, the building was owned by the Campbell and Ehrenfried Co., Ltd., Auckland. Mr Rabbidge was not covered to the extent of his loss.

The fire started in the kitchen and spread through the upper story first.