Fire Destroys Hotel

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1949, Page 2

Fire Destroys Hotel

CHlriSTrUUKOlI, Nov. 4. The Culverden llotel in Nortli Csinterbuiy was hurned lo tlie grouud tliis afternoun and tlio adjoining dwelling > occupied by ihe owner, .Mrs JJeatrice Gudsell, was badly daniaged. Tlie liolel was a wooden oue and was at least 60 years old. Lt was oi' two storeys and contained 1!' bedrooms. Tlie liuilding and contents were insured for Ji97jU with the Nntiomil lnsurunce Oo. of New Zealand Ltd. No oue was injured. Workmen liad beeu " burning oll" ' tlie hotel duriug the morning in preparation for puinting. The lire was uotieed on the upper lloor soon atter noon. liundreds of volunteer lieipers worked feverishly to save tnaterial from tlie hotel. They romoved all the property from the liouse and also eleared completely tlie s'oeks from tlie nearby generul store. ( 'ulvenien residents had decided only last .Momlay to i'orm a district lire brigade, and in the absence of liri1iightiiig equipment ealls wero sent to the liumner Sju'ings volunteei lire brigade 2(1 niiles aw ay, the Waiau volunteer lire brigade 14 niiles away, aiul the Stute Forest Service uuits at Balomral, aliout.'lO miles to the south. These bngades all arrived in a very short time, but the hotel was we.ll alight and attention was conceiitrated on saving other buildings. Kveryone in Culverden agreed tlmt a large part. o.f the town would have been eudaiigered but for tlieir eoncerteif etl'orts. The liumner Springs brigade drew water from the swinimiug baths nearly a quarter of a mile away, Waiau used, the two big raihvay water tanks and the State Forest Service ran a swift shuttle service in filling portable tanks from nearby streams. Culverden is not reticulated. Tlie biaze was so fierce that thc wliole hotel liad been razed within an hour.