DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT THE BLUFF

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2215, 30 July 1914, Page 8

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT THE BLUFF

WITH LOSS OF LIFE

HEAVY INSURANCES

MAN'S BODY FOUND

(By Telegraph-Press /Association.)

Inveroargill, Jul v 29. A disastrous fire occurred at the Bluff just after midnight.' completely destroying the Club Hotel buildings, a fine twostoried brick block, in which several businesses were conducted; ■

.The flames had a firm hold when thev were .discovered, and the brigado's efforts wero successfully directed to saving the Post oflics on the ono side and the Harbour Board's building on the other.

Three inmates of the hotel were missing after tlio lire. They are: William Brookes, railway employee; Peter Manson, ship's carpentcr, whoso body has since been found under some debris in a bedroom; and Fred Butcher, hotel porter. . . ,

■ One of the servants, Bridie Braw, was roscued in an unconscious condition, and scorched, by the' fire. The insurances are: Club Hotel buildings, £5000; furniture and stock, £1100; 1). C. Hamilton, chemist, £475; Edge, confectioner, £195'; Ferguson and 'Hotton, tobacconist, £140; Haigli, news agents, £200; Anderson, fancy goods, £1000; Huddart, Parker, £100; Bank of New Zealand, £800. All are total losses except the bank, the roof of which was destroyed, . ' '

/ LATER DETAILS. '• — '■ ■ I '. . . SOME NARROW, ESCAPES. ■ Invercargill, July 29. ; Three victims is tho toll of the fire at Bluff early this morning, all of tliem being at the Club Hotel, which is completely demolished. Their names arc: "

Peter Monsen, aged 55. i;> Fred Bluclier, aged 60. ■ ' T. T. Brook, aged 22. It was only after daybreak that the awful intelligence was bruited abroad. IV T. Brook was duo on duty at the railways at 6 a.m., but'did not put'in an .appearance. He was a young man, single. • On the night ', preceding I . : the fire he arrived at tho hotel from a hard day's work, , and'his. remark to one of tho hotel staff, was: •"I am dead tired, atfd I!m going to have a good sleep." He went straight to his room, and from that minute nothing was ever seen of Jiim again. l A carefur search failed to find any human remains (under tli'o bedroom he-occupied.. In the morning, it was found : that Peter, Monsen, ail'American-Swede, 55 years of age; was .missing. Ho was a ship's carpenter, and well known in the. Bluff. _ His charred remains were found in:the .tangled wreckage of .the bedstead he had occupied, proving conclusively tliat lie liad been suffocated in his !sleep, ; and had never stirred from his bed. 'So far as is known, he had no relatives in New Zealand, and was a single man. ' " Fred Bluclier, a well-known old character of botli Invercargill and Bluff, was the third victim. He'was an ex-man;-o'-warsman,:: aged; over. CO, years, and a keen supporter of cricket. Hardly'a match used to pass without the old mariner putting in' an appearance. 1 It was not. until,noon that it became certain that. Blucjher, was,a victim, of the. 1 fire. "It was stated at'first' that';he liad" gono tolthe Taieri,.and.the staff of. the hotel were not sure -whether he spent .the night there or Conclusive evidence,' however,was subsequently forthcoming that he arrived at' Bluff' by t]ie 7.10 p.m. train.' and was seen about in the evening. Wherohe'slept is'not • known,-but there-is no doubt that ho is the third' victim of the-tragedy. ( In the Nick of Time. . Among the narrow escapes may bo mentioned that of .J. Bree, a . boarder, who .was awakened by a scream> from one of the servants. ; She'rushed into his,room, her night.attire blazing, and he rushed her to tho firo escape and saved her. ." : .j : v -• E. J. Bradley, a railway employee, was awakened with his room full of smoke, hut gropingly escaped. Ono of the servants was rescued inst in'timo by Fred Hunter; who saw'her, ' standing in a stuoified condition. He 1 carried her out safely.