'It was a serious, serious blaze'

Flames rage from a blazing unit at the former Mace Motel in Arrowtown yesterday. Photos by Sandra...
Flames rage from a blazing unit at the former Mace Motel in Arrowtown yesterday. Photos by Sandra Christie & Guy Williams.
Firefighters dampen down the fire.
Firefighters dampen down the fire.

A unit of a former motel has been destroyed and another damaged by a fire in Arrowtown yesterday.

The alarm was raised about 1.30pm by the occupant of the neighbouring unit, who checked to see if anyone was inside after seeing smoke coming from the roof, Arrowtown Deputy Chief Fire Officer Greg Potter said.

It took 10 minutes for 35 firefighters and four appliances from Arrowtown, Frankton and Queenstown to put out the fire, which was ''going pretty well'' when they arrived.

The unit of the former Mace Motel, now used for rental accommodation, was destroyed and its sole tenant's possessions ''completely lost''.

The neighbouring unit sustained smoke and water damage.

''The saving grace is that there's a concrete block wall between the two.''

Arrowtown resident Adin Scott, who lives across the road, said he looked out the window when the fire trucks arrived to see ''dark flames coming from the roof''.

''By the time I got out on to the street it was a serious, serious blaze.''

• Three appliances attended a fire on Queenstown Hill about two hours earlier after the electrical unit for a boiler pump at the Hippo Lodge backpackers caught fire.

Queenstown Chief Fire Officer Terry O'Connell said the lodge was evacuated. Staff had put out the blaze by the time firefighters arrived.

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