EARLY MORNING FIRE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 42, 13 November 1926, Page 6

EARLY MORNING FIRE

HOTEL BADLY DAMAGED Palmerston North, November 12. As a result of a fire which broke out in the Post Office Hotel, Broadway, in the early hours of this morning, six oi eight looms were gutted and furniture as well as other parts of the building suffered severely. It was at about 2.30 a.m. that a boarder awoke to find the wall of his room ablaze, and the delay occasioned by a temporary defect in the telephone caused the' flames to spread rapidly. The alarm was at length given by a policeman and the nightwatchman, and upon arrival at the scene the brigade was met with the sight ot heavy volumes of smoke issuing from the upstairs row of rooms on the side of the hotel. The old wooden structure burned fiercelv, but the watei pressure was good,'so that the brigade gained control in half an hour. It was ascertained that in addition to the rooms which had been gutted, considerable damage had been caused by smoke and water. The insurance on the building, which is owned by Messrs Collinson and Cunninghame, amount to £2OOO. I lie furniture and stock are covered by policies for £7OO and £350 respectively. The actual damage is estimated at £lOOO In addition, boarders who were driven' from their rooms suffered the loss of personal effects.