Fire devastates hotel bars

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 5, 3 July 1984, Page 1

Fire devastates hotel bars

At about 3am on Thursday 21 June awoken by the smell of smoke fumes, Publican Mike Emberton plucked his wife Pam and two young daughters Kylie and Sheree from their beds. Barman Mr Harold McLean and his wife Joy who live on the premises, were also alerted by Mike's plea for help. The Owhango Volunteer Fire Brigade arrived soon after to find the public bar and the private bar areas well ablaze. "Parts of the roofing iron were just a red glow, I can still see it now," recalled fireman Mr Dave Edhouse. "We got into the roof to stop it going any further," said Chief Fire Officer Mr Maurice Cooper, whilst two men wearing breathing apparatus, doused the flames from within the towering inferno. A bitterly cold -wind continued to fan the flames and it took the firemen about an hour to control the blaze. Speculation has it that the fire began initially in the

entrance area to the bars, "cause could have been an open fire left smouldering or someone dropping a cigarette butt," said Mr Cooper. Undoubtedly, the recently

commissioned water supply saved the remainder of the building, as approximately 20,000 gallons were used. Formerly from Wellington, about six months ago the Emberton family decided to adopt the rural lifestyle. Ironically on Wednesday 20 June Mike had applied to the King Country Licensing Committee (which was granted) for a reduction in mid week hours. He supported his application with a four-year plan to change the existing hotel into a family oriented public house, with a restaurant and garden type lounge area. To date, the future of the Owhango Hotel is uncertain, now all that remains of the two bar areas are the charred remains of a

disasterous fire, where lie too the memories from a yesteryear, gone forever. For the Embertons a bleak time ahead. All they were able to salvage were a couple of bedding items and a couple of the children's cuddly toys. What the flames missed, smoke damage has not.

Linda

Pakau- Bowring