HOTEL FIRE TRAGEDY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 806, 29 October 1929, Page 16

HOTEL FIRE TRAGEDY

MOTHER AND CHILD DIE IN FLAMES HUSBAND’S VAIN EFFORTS Press Association INVERCARGILL, Today. Trapped by flame and smoke and overcome during the destruction by fire of the Carriers’ Arms Hotel at Riverton yesterday morning, Mrs. W. Trembath, wife of the licensee, and her daughter Moira were burned to death. Efforts were made to rescue them, but the flames roared through the old building and all the other occupants were forced to escape at risk of their lives. When the first alarm was given Mr. Trembath made his way from the upper floor of the building with two of their children, and Mrs. Trembath took charge of the other child, aged five j r ears, but the heat, smoke and falling debris proved too much for her. When Mr. Trembath found that his wife had not followed him and the two children to safety he made a desperate endeavour to fight his way back into the inferno and save them, but was burned about the head, face, arms and hands, and could not make liis way. Later, when the fire had reduced the building to smouldering ruins, the charred remains of Mrs. Trembath and the child were found in a position which showed that the bodies had fallen through when the floor collapsed. The fire broke out at about 2.30. The hotel, which was a two-storey building, was built partly of brick and partly of wood. The front portion facing on to Palmerston Street was of brick, and the rear part of the building, including the kitchen, was wooden. The fire apparently began in the kitchen. Five minutes after it was discovered flames could be seen through the front windows, and shortly afterward the building was a seething furnace. The noise of the flames and the startled cries of men i and women roused the residents of i the neighbourhood. Flames rose high above the building. Refugees from the hotel who had been unable to save any of their effects or valuables were taken to nearby houses and hotels. There was no wind at the time and the flames, confined to some extent by the brick walls, shot straight into the air. Had they been fanned to either side adjoining properties could scarcely have been saved. Little could possibly have been done to stop the fire spreading, for in the Borough of Riverton no public fire-fighting apparatus is provided. Mr. Trembath is well known as an athlete, and is the holder of many trophies for running and other sports. After living in Invercargill for some time he and his family removed about two years ago to Riverton, where he ; took over the Carriers’ Arms Hotel, one of the old-established licensed houses in the town. The hotel was owned by Mr. C. Berryman, now of Waikaia. It was insured.