Collingwood Business Centre Swept By Fire

A fire which began in Collingwood's only hotel, the Post Office, raged through the town in the early hours of December 9, leaving in its wake the twisted and smoking wreckage of the business heart of the township. The hotel and the memorial hall alongside it were razed, and gale force winds carried the flames across the main street into the Golden Hills Store which was consumed also. Christmas stocks at the store and a new delivery truck were all lost.

The fire was first noticed about 2.30 am and it had a strong hold before volunteer firemen from the Collingwood and Takaka brigades were able to fight it. They were hampered by strong winds which threatened to carry the blaze into adjoining premises. The volunteers did an amazing job in containing it. Drums of fuel stored between the service station and the store were in danger of igniting, and the service station itself was in jeopardy.

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This was the fifth occasion on which Collingwood has suffered from major fires. The others were in 1859, 1904 (when the whole township was nearly destroyed) and in the 1920's and 1930's. Our pic, an aerial by John R. Sharp, shows the township and the burned-out buildings.