FATAL FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 2887, 12 December 1898, Page 3

FATAL FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

ROYAL OAK HOTEL BURNED. TWO LIVES LOST. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 10. The Royal Oak Hotel was completely destroyed by fire early this morning. Mr Greer (commercial traveller), and MiGeorge Blandiord (general manager for Bing, Harris, and Co.), were burnt to death. THE PARTICULARS. About 1 o'clock this morning a fire broke out m the Royal Oak Hotel, one of the largest hotels m Wellington, which covered an extensive area of ground at the corner of Cuba and Manners streets. The fire spread with Ruch amazing rapidity that soon the whole part of the building facing CJuba stieet was a mass of flames. A full complement of firemen was quickly on the scene, but despite their effeorts it was obvious that the building was utterly doomed. A large number of boarders were sleeping m the hotel, and some of them were only aroused with the greatest difficulty. Ladies rushed from the burning building m scant attire, their shrinks of dismay being heard a considerable distance away. Many, very narrow escapes occurred, and iD several instances the boarders jumped from upstairs windowson to the pavement below In essaying this feat one man broke an ankle. Another man had to descend from the top story by a ladder supported on the cross bar of a telegraph pole. All accounts agree that the flames spread with extraordinary rapidity, and the inmates were satisfied to escape wfth their lives, without troubling about any of their personal effects. Nothing is now standing but the brick walls. The whole of the interior of the building is burned clean out. The outbreak occurred m the kitchen, but the cause is a mystery. Fortunately, the night was calm, otherwise the fire might have spread around the vicinity. The building, which had quite recently been improved by the addition of a large wing facing Dixon Street, was owned by Mr M. Gilmer. The building was insured for £12,000, and the furniture for £4000 m the Commercial Union Office. Captain Rose (late Wellington manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company) and his family, who were staying at the hotel prior to their 'departure for England by the Aorangi to-day, lost everything, and they will have to postpone their departure indefinitely. The Misses Rose were only rescued with difficulty. When the fire was at its height it presented a grand spectacle, lighting up the harbour and surrounding hills for a great distance. It was nearly 3.30 a.m before the flames were subdued sufficiently to allow the firemen to make their way into the interior of the building. They then discovered the charred and partly dressed body of a man m a passage on the top story of the new brick wing, lying partly covered by the debris from the roof above. The body has been identified as that of Mr Greer, a commercial traveller from Sydney, representing the firm of Greer, Fraser, and Co. Subsequently the body of Mr George Blandford was found among the debris. Practically nothing whatever was saved from the hotel. There were about forty boarders sleeping m the hotel, and seven whose names were on the hotel list have not yet been accounted for, but the debris has been thoroughly searched and there is no trace of any more bodies, and it is expected that the missing men will report themselves during the day. Mr O'Regan, M.H.R., who was staying m the hotel, with other gentlemen, was sitting m a front commercial room, when one of the barmaids raised an alarm of fire. Mr O'Regan and others at once ran up-stairs and gave the alarm, and assisted several women out of the building. In a few minutes, however, they had to beat a hasty retreat, the fire having rapidly taken possession of the whole of the Cuba Street side of the building. Greer and Blandford occupied a room m the top story of the new wing, next to the room m which the Misses Rose were located. The smoke seems to have gathered m this part of the building, and the boarders sleeping there all had miraculous escapes. A Frenchman named G. Faulbaum, whose bedroom was near Greer's, jumped about 25 feet from a window on to the roof of a corrugated iron shed, through which he disappeared. He was picked up with a broken ankle. An American named Sharpless also jumped through a window from the top story. Mr Sharpless was near Greer, and vainly urged him to jump. He was last seen rushing back to his room. Greer was 35 years of age, well-known on the road. His wife is now on her way from Sydney, her intention being to join him here. Blandford was 60 years of age and had his headquarters m Dunedin. He also was well-known m commercial circles. The extraordinary rapidity with which the fire spread is due to the fact that there was only one brick partition m the whole building, that between the old and new wing ; all the rest were of wood, and when the flames once got a good hold they licked up^ everything m no time. When the brigade first arrived they occupied nearly fifteen minutes m saving life. There was a good pressure of water, but the brigade complain that the appliances are defective and deficient for the great work they had m hand. Captain Kemsley (captain of the brigade) believes that if the hotel had been fitted with Danks' automatic fire alarm the building might have been saved or the destruction restricted ; also that if the brigade had got the alarm a few minutes earlier and could have applied three times as many hoses, the greater part of the hotel could haVe been preserved. Mr Gilmer estimates his loss at £20,000 over the insurances. H.e had £13,000 insurance on the building and £6000 on the furniture. A new wing which was erected two years ago cost £5000 to build and £3000 to furnish. Mr Gilmer valued the furniture m the whole building at £12,000. Only the other day he received £600 worth of new cutlery, which had not been unpacked and all is lost. Mr Gilmer's family saved none of their personal effects. The Commercial Union uffice reinsured the following amounts out of their line of £19,000 on the building and contents :— New Zealand £1750, South British, Victoria, Phcenix, Imperial, Royal, North British, and Mercantile of

Manchester, £1000 each; Royal Exchange £750; Alliance, Liverpool ami London and Globe, United, Northern, North German, Norwich Union, National, London and Lancashire, Palatine, Australian Alliance, £500 each ; total £14,500. , The circumstances surrounding the escape of Faulbaum and Sharpless, and the death of Greer and Blandford, will not b«j .thoroughly cleared up until the inquest', which opens at 3 o'clock this afternoon. These four were m company m the passage on the top story of the new wing, when the dense amoke forced Faulbaum to jump for hie life through a window. Sharpless was rescued by a brigade ladder. It is not clear how Greer and Blandford were unable to make their exit by the window like Faulbaum. The occurrence created a great sensation throughout the city, and the streets are thronged with people viewing the ruins, j All the missing men are now accounted for. There was considerable excitement m town all the morning over the fatalities at the fire, and all sorts of rumours were about as to the number pf lives lost. The fire (brigade and police very carefully checked over the list. Forty-three boarders wejre known to be m the hotel, and all were accounted for but seven.- These, however, gave great trouble, and there was some uneasiness as the morning wore on and nothing could be ascertained about them. It was well on into the afternoon before the last man was found, and it was definitely ascertained that there were no moie casualties. It was one of the barmaids who slept over the kitchen who first detected the fire, and the three of them had a very narrow escape as their rooms were instantly filled with smoke. As far as can be ascertained, the fire broke out m the casing of the kitchen chimney. he kitchen was almost m the centre of the block, and this partly accounts for the extraordinary way m which the fire spread. The. absence of party walls also helped, apd is really accountable for the total destruction of so large a building It covered nearly half an acre and was mostly two stories and of brick. The new wing was' three stories, and there was a wooden building used partly as a storeroom and partly as a bedroom. There are not more than three or four rooms m the whole area which the fire has not touched. As soon as the alarm was given, the hotel servants went round and called every inmate, and it is fortunate that Mr.O'Regan and one or two other boarders were sitting up and able to rush round the corridors at the first alarm, or there might have been greater loss of life. All those concerned speak m terms of astonishment of the way m which the fire spread. One man had only time to get out of a window and cross the street when the roam which he had just quitted burst into flames. So far-- as is known, only one qr two lodgers at the most succeeded m saving anything. Notwithstanding this morning's occurrence, Captain Rose and his family were able to complete arrangements which enabled them to carry out their original intention of leaving for England by the Aorangi this afternoon. December 11. In addition to the insurances given yesterday, the Commercial Union Office has £750 on a wooden building adjoining the Royal Oak Hotel, making the total insurances £19,750, and the Commercial Union's share £5250. DUNEDIN, December 10. i Mr Blandford had been general manager for Bing, Harris and Co., since I January. At one time he was employed by Butterworth Bros, m Dunedin, and left that firm to accept a responsible position under Sargood, Son, and Ewen, thence, being promoted to the position held by him at the time of his death. Mrs Blandford is well-known here as an accomplished pianist, whose services were always available atany local entertainment. He leaves a large family. THE INQUEST. ■ The inquest on the bodies of H. "R. Greer and George Blandford, the victims of the Royal Oak Hotel fire was opened this afternoon. The proceedings were watched by Commissioner Tunbridge and Inspector Pender. The Coroner said that it was proposed to take only evidence of identification this afternoon, m order to permit the burial of the bodies. The inquest would then be adjourned till next week, when it would practically resolve itself into an exhaustive enquiry into all the circumstances surrounding the fire. Mr Greer's featureß were easily recognisable, but Mr Blandford's were charred beyond recognition. The identification of both the bodies was established by various witnesses to. the full satisfaction of the <l/oroner. ' The medical evidence was to the effect that both men were probably suffocated before the flames reached their bodies. The hotel clerk said that thele was an iron fire-escape leading to the ground from each story m the building, and every boarder was especially informed of this fact. Mr O'Regan, M.H.R., detailed how one of the barmaids raised the alarm, whereupon he and his companions, who were m the commercial room, proceeded to arouse the other inmates of the building. The smoke was so dense, however, that they could not get to the .new portion of the building, and m a very few minutes the whole structure was enveloped m flames. As far as 'witness saw, no one availed themselves of the fire-escapes. The confusion was so great that it was impossible to carry out any system of rescue, and the roaring of the flames and shrieking of the women added to the general disorder. His opinion was that the fire had obtained such a strong hold that it was impossible for the brigade, who were promptly on the spot, to do anything. At this stage the inquest was adjourned till next Wednesday.