DISASTROUS FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1932, Page 4

DISASTROUS FIRE

AT OMOTO RACECOURSE.

MAIN GRANDSTAND BURNT.

Shortly aft-r midnight, this morning, a fire was discovered in the main grandstand at Omoto racecourse, and in less than two hours the 'tine structure was reduced t<> ashes.

The caretaker of the course, Mr J

Guerin, with his wife and family, wore till asleep at the cottage near •,h 2 entrance to the course, when the alarm reached them. The tire was discovered by Mr It. Sullivan, an

engineer employed bv the Grey Electric Power Board, who was returning to tfreymoutb from hi K work at 'the Dobson Power ■station, when be quickly urousd the caretaker. Mr Sullivan noticed ',hetire breaking out at the front of the stand, around the centre, ns he was cycling out of Kaiatn. At that time the tire had already obtained a hold. It appears tliat the point of origin may have been on the ground floor near the (Centre of the rear wall of the stand. The Haines evidently crept to the upper storey, where they spread either way, going quickest towards the northern end with the breeze. Mr

Guerin lost no -time in communicating with ; the ' Secretary of the Club, Mr IM. J. Fogarty, and then directed his efforts towards saving the main building, This was seen to be impossible and attention was then given to the buddings externai to the stand, It was seen that the totalisator house was likely 'to escape, The. buildings on 'the opposite S'de of the stand were protected, Had thej’9 be'n a wind at the time, the other buildings would have probably been dor,Toyed. The other stand beyond the totalisator house was not in any way •affected, whilst the stewards’ room and presij room, were no more than scotched. Ms soon as the outbreak was discovered, there was a roaring outburst of ffanie, which quickly spread to the rnofiing and gradually caught on either side, and by E a.m. the whole building had been denial shed, being a mass of burning ruins. The ireffection of the fire was of awesome dimensions, and must have ben visible as far away as Hokitika and (Blackball. The building was one of the best known landmarks along the road to Greymouth from the Grey Valley, where it .has stood for more than a couple of'generations, A motor cyclist returning form Hokitika at midnight stated that he could sea the reflection in the sky, whilst it would undoubtedly have also been seen by residents in the Upper Grey Valley, if they had not been abed when the outbreak occurred.

Im the building there was much material, including a stove, crockery,, chairs, tables, and other effects repaired for a tearooms, whilst the publican’s booth was one of the most up-to-date yo have been fitted, with very convenient shelves, counter, stands, and water services. The whole went quickly, the age of the timber having rendered it dry and inflammable. It nvas later ascertained that a small quantity of the furniture was saved from the second storey of the grandstand,

The fir trees directly behind and in close proximity to the main s tand were considerably scorched, but were not totally destroyed. The bin ding was a substantially-built one of red pine timber, and contained a publican’s bootli and tea rooms on th? ground floor, and seating accommodation for the public and stewards on the second

j storey. There will be a loss of some thousands of pounds to the Club. Both the , building and the furniture and effects | were insured. The judge’s box was not , insured. The fence in the vicinity of the judge'e box was fairly extensively damaged. * / The grandstand was a handsome structure, aim much lauded in its early days. It was bui’t by Mr H. Bignell, and was of a good model. The value of the I structure cannot .at the moment be given, I nor are the insurances available, but the , .secretary of the Jockey Club, Mr M. J. Fogarty, who was quickly on the scene this morning, expressed the opinion that ’.he Club would be a very considerable loser by the fire. There was, fortunately, little or no wind blowing at the time, so that the totalisator house and the other buildings escaped, except for the judge’s box, which in the intense heat, became ignited and was demolished, along with the fence adjacent. The press room, between the grandstand and the stewards’ stand did catch fire, but, with the-water laid on, andi water from the stream at the rear, this outbreak was extinguished ere it did much damage. TJ.ic caretaker, Mr J. Guerin, and his wife visited the stands and buildings in the vicinity just before nightfall, when every tiling appeared to be all right. The secretary of the Jockey Club, Mr M. J. Fogarty, .also visited the course yesterday afternoon.

The Boy Scouts last week held a camp at the racecourse, there being 17 tin camp under the .charge of District SCoutmaster, A. Agnew. On Tuesday, the wot, boisterous weather, obliged the campers to abandon thir tents and go (into the gr.uistand to spend tile last day and night, of the encampment, •'['hey nude use of th O'ove located near the tearooms, towards the northern end of the stand. Yesterday afternoon the 'Scouts used the stove up till 2.30 o’clock when they made afternoon tea, but then there remained in (the .stove only a moderate quantity of wood. Scoutmaster Ag c.v s'-ted that every precaution was taken. He was sincerely sorry to learn of the destruction of the stand.