DISASTROUS FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1931, Page 6

DISASTROUS FIRE

UNION HOTEL DESTROYED. FOUR MEN LOSE LIVES. (Grey “Argus.”) The most tragic fire perhaps in the history of Greymouth occurred shortly before daybreak yesterday at the wellknown Union Hotel, in Herbert Street, and the sadness of the happening was not unfortunately lessened by the fact that the outbreak was the occasion of probably the most successful “save” that has been effected by the Greymouth Fire Brigade. The fire, which evidently must have had its origin some hours prior to its being discovered, was responsible for the loss of no fewer than four lives, the victims being all young men in their prime, whose sad fate was Undoubtedly due to their being all asphyxiated by the fumes of the fire probably before the alarm bad been given. The victims were as follows: THE VICTIMS. EDMUND RYAN, forty-one years of age, bush man, a native of Ireland, who has been about fourteen years in New Zealand, and was a well-known worker at West Coast mills, especially in the Otira Line district. PATRICK L. PHELAN, 24 years of age, a -native of Greymouth, who was employed as barman at the hotel, and was well and favourably known to a .wide circle of friends in the district, his late parents having been proprietors some years ago of the Golden Eagle Hotels „Greymouth. WILLIAM DALRYMPLE HADDOCK, Railway Telephone Linesman, 30 years of age; a native of Petone, where mis mother resides. He was an absentee boarder on the occasion of the recent Royal Hotel fire, and was a popular voung man. DAVID FREDERICK ISP ESTER, Railway .Fireman, 28 years of age; who was a native of Maori Hill, Dunedin, where his, parents and relatives re step, and who had been stationed here for :about ten months, coming from Marlborough. He was. a member of tlie Stai ; Football Club’s senior team, playing as took in tlie forwards, and was highly esteemed bv all who knew him. THE SURVIVORS. There were in all ten persons sleeping at the hotel on Saturday night Khe bedrooms being all on the uppe/ storey. Mr James Cologan, proprietor.of the Union Hotel. Mrs Collogan, wife of the proprietor. Miss Freda Collogan their daughter. Miss Mary Southern, housemaid, whose relatives reside in the Otira Line district. Mr Michael Deere, a member of the Waterside Mr. John Cosgrove, shunter, on the staff of the Railway Department, Greymouth. Mr Thomas Donovan, Borough employee, who was sleeping in a cottage at the rear of the main building, and who was also a boarder at the Royal Hotel on the occasion of the fire there. Three of the usual inmates of the hotel were absent on Saturday, being away from town, namely Miss Bella Irvine, housemaid, who spent tlie night at the home of her relatives at Cobden; Mr William Baker, a boarder, lorrydriver of the Shell Oil Coy., who spent the night at Blackball; and -Mr-William R.vall, of Barr.vtown who recently met with an accident, and had been staying at the hotel, but spent Saturday night with bis relatives in Barrytown. The cook at the hotel, Mrs Tyler, does not reside on the premises. THE ALARM The alarm of fire was given by the Superintendent of the hire Brigade, Mr Patrick Deere, whose residence adjoins the hotel there being evry little space between the two buildings. He was awakened by the sound of the conflagration, hearing a window near his own room collapse. He rang up the Fire Station at once, and dashed into the street, where he got the fire plug opposite Hill’s store, at the intersection of Herbert and Leonard Streets, ready for the Dennis fire engine, tlie only person then to be seen by him being Constable Hendrickson, who roue up just after coming off duty. Tlie Dennis engine arrived in smart time, and three leads of hose were immediately run out, two from the engine, and one from the fire plug further up Leonard Street, opposite Harley’s furniture factory. THE ESCAPEES. Meantime six of the inmates had made their escape from the burning building, and tlie Fire Brigade had no idea that there were any persons left within. Mrs Collogan had given an alarm to as many as she could reach, when the passage was filled with tlie smoke and flames coining up from below along the stairway, but all of the other men, except Mr Cosgrove, had their rooms on the opposite sid ( e of the stairway, and the fire was then reaching up almost to the roof in the. centre. Having awakened Miss Collogan and Miss Sou thorn, and also Cosgrove, Mr and Mrs Collogan, whose room is situated at the rear, together with their daughter, made their escape, through, their bedroom window, on to the roof of Mr Deere’s residence, Miss Soutliorn likewise showed presence of mind, throwing he purse, through the window, and then grasping the fire escape rope and descending to the ground. The rope snapped before she reached the ground, but she got clear without any injury whatever.

4 Mr Cosgrave, whose room was on the

same side and next but one to Mr and Mrs Collogan’s ; bad a close call in making his exit through a window, as the Hallies burned tlie hair off the back of bis bead, and be also sustained minor burns on bis hands the fire moving with great rapidity immediately it obtained any draught. Mr Mjck Deere, however, bad even a more remarkable escape. He was the only one on his side of the staircase to survive. Hearing tlie fire roar ing, lie dashed to open bis door, but tlie moment be did so bo was met by a blast of fumes and flames, being forced to turn and rush for his window. Before lie had even time to grasp the escape rope, the flames were on him. singeing his hair, and alighting- his night attire so that lie got through the window feet first and dropped at once to the ground, landing fortunately on his heels, and narrowly missing a fence below. (Mr Deere stated that when lie opened the door it would have been impossible- to live in tlie passage, and as soon as he recovered from the shock, be began to impure about the other men. THE TRAGEDY REVEALED. It was when the Firemen bad been almost half an hour fighting the fire, and had got it under, that they traversed the passage and discovered the bodies of tlie victims DeputySuperintendent White first noticed the body of Jsbeste.r, lying in the passage only about four feet from the front door. A powerful man, the deceased liad made a last bound for the door, and fell short of it. The door was unlocked, as was tlie one at the back end of the passage, leading on to the first escape. The next, body found was that of Ryan, who was Isbester’s room-mate. It was in one of the front rooms, into which the deceased liad evidently groped in an effort to os cape from the fumes. The room they . occupied was at the bead of the stairs, just opposite to that in which the other two victims had slept. Proceeding along the passage, the firemen found Phelan’s body between bis room and the back door, to which lie was groping when overcome by the fumes and asphyxiated. Hi* body was more affected by the fire than those of the other throe. Finally in bis room beside his bed tlie body of Haddock was found, he having just got out and fallen.

'l'he indications all pointed to the fact that the four men who lost their lives were all overcome by the fumes, which must have been ascending for some considerable time before tlie victims awakened, when they would doubtless have been somewhat incapicated. The bodies were all scorched, but it was evident that death was caused by asphyxiation. ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.

j While the origin of the fire is a comj pie to mystery, it evidently started in j the parlour or commercial room adjacent to tlie private bar, and was obviously accidental. Jsboster. Haddock and Phelan had gone, out for supper I aboiiWpjjd ll ip,jit, ami upon returning j after about an hour, they smelt wood j burning, and rou.secf’ Mr and Mrs Collogan, who with Phelan, and Haddock j made an examination of all the rooms, j but could discover nothing' amiss, and i all retired to their rooms. There bad ! been a fire in the commercial room [during the evening, till about eleven o’clock, and it i s not improbable that j a spark therefrom was the cause of [the conflagration, the,smouldering conj tinning for some hours before the fire was discovered. After the alarm Constable Hendrickson inquired about the inmates, and the replie* lie received went to show that all bad escaped,. THE INSURANCES. Tlie hotel was a wooden structure, valued at £2.500, while the s,tock and furniture were valued at £1,150. On the building, £I2OO in the Phoonix Office, and £6OO in the South British Office; stock £4OO in the Plieomx Offic-e; furniture, £275 in the South British Office and £225 in the Pheonix Office. These figures would indicate an under insurance of £950. INQUEST. An inquest into the deaths of the victims will be conducted by Mr W. Meldrmn. S.M., Coroner, opening at noon to-day. The funeral of the deceased. Win. Haddock will take place at Petone, where bis mother resides. He leaves a brother. Mr On ton Haddock, at Westport. It. is not yet known whether the remains of the deceased David Isbcster will be taken to Dunedin for interment. The funerals of Patrick Phelan and Edmund Ryan will take place at Greymouth. Last evening tlie Greymouth Old Boys’ A.ssocjaton passed a resolution of condolence with the relative,* of the deceased, two of whom Patrick Phelan and Edmund Ryan, were members of the Association. The bereaved relatives will have the sympathy of the whole community in their sad loss, while Air and Airs Collogan will have also the sympathy of their many friends in the misfortune that has overtaken them.