Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - September 1, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba a6 Winnipeg free press Friday september 1, 2006 fire destroys Portage hotel hotel guests flee to safety pm optimum used vehicles no worries. 20 to choose from 2005 Pontiac grand am As Low As $ 12,950 or $99 biweekly 12 to choose from 2005 Chev Malibu As Low As $ 13,950 or $105 month 2005 Chev Monte Carlo 2005 Buick rendezvous As Low As As Low As $ 16,950 $ 20,995 or $ 127 biweekly or $ 157 biweekly 2005 2005 2 to choose from Pontiac grand prix As Low As 2 left Pontiac Bonneville As Low As $ 17,950 $ 20,995 or $134 biweekly or $ 157 biweekly 2005 2004 Buick Lesa re Honda Accord log As Low As As Low As $ 23,495 $ 17,995 or $ 175 biweekly or $134 biweekly 84 month pmt., 7.99% apr Mac. Resident Bangs on doors As smoke spreads through Century old inn by Jason Bell p Portage la Prairie ? fire ripped through the downtown Portage hotel yesterday morning destroying the once luxurious turn of the Century hotel in the heart of Down town Portage la Prairie. The stately three and a half Storey Brick building had to be levelled late yesterday after a massive Blaze that began around 6 . Gutted the Interior of the hotel and scorched the roof causing it to Cave in. Sixteen people scrambled to safety from the burning hotel including one Man who smashed open a window climbed to a Patio rooftop and jumped about three metres to the pavement slightly injuring his leg. Everyone was accounted for by mid morning including a Young woman who could to be located initially but was found unharmed. About 10 guests were participants in the Canada senior games being held this week in Portage about 75 Kilometres West of Winnipeg. Several members of the Ontario men a hockey team lost All their equipment in the fire and despite having several games remaining in the tournament decided to head Home. Several people either staying or work ing at the hotel commended resident Edmund Henderson for alerting Resi dents and herding them outside. He a the one that got them out said hotel assistant manager Leo Lapointe. He deserves 500 per cent of the Henderson said when the fire alarm went off he ran from his second floor suite to the third floor and immediately smelled smoke. That a when he started banging on doors. Luckily we All got out said Hender son a custodian at the Sobey a grocery store. The smoke was really starting to come in. I a just glad i could help get everyone out of All of Henderson a belongings Are gone. I Don to make a lot of Money and i Don to have a lot of things but its hard to lose everything. This is All i have left said Henderson pointing to the clothes he was wearing ? a pair of sneakers sweat pants and to shirt. I Haven to a clue where ill sleep thursday night the fire has left an ugly cavity on the main drag of Saskatchewan Avenue where a Row of tightly packed businesses helps drive the economic engine of this Western Manitoba City. Its really too bad said Les Green 80, a local historian who was born and we want your stories Many fond memories were born within the Walls of the once stately Portage hotel from weddings and Fine banquets to a peek at visiting dignitaries. Please share your stories with us at. raised in Portage. This leaves a huge Hole on the Street. Everyone has memo Ries of the hotel. It was built to be the grand hotel. The place to stay. Plenty of dignitaries stayed there and there were always ban Quets and weddings. A lot of brides tossed their bouquets Down that big the hotel was build in 1905 at a Cost of $50,000, providing accommodation Over the years to luminaries like the late Roland Michener the former governor general of Canada during the 1970s. But Over the last few decades the approximately 30-room hotel has been used primarily As a Favourite local watering Hole and meeting place hous ing a pair of pubs ? sociable and out Laws ? As Well As Theos restaurant. It was one of the first bars i Ever played and we were the last band to play there last weekend. Now its up in smoke said local musician Johnny diet Rich. I can to believe it. It was such a big part of the downtown for so Many years. Its really going to be hotel owner David Andrews told a reporter the business is insured adding its much too Early to know whether or not hell rebuild. A Ndrews has owned the hotel for 13 years and has done Exten Sive renovations to the landmark Structure Over the last few years. Firefighters believe the Blaze started on the second floor about 6 20 ., although the cause is still under investigation by the provincial fire commissioner and arson investigation team. Portage firefighters were joined by Crews from the rms of Cartier and St. Claude while Winnipeg fire paramedic service sent a ladder truck to help fight the massive Blaze. Crews attacked the fire from the inside but were forced out As flames spread and the heat intensified. Portage residents say its the fourth hotel in the City destroyed by flames in the last 50 years. visiting hockey team loses gear possessions by Allan Besson Portage la Prairie ? the Ontario hockey teams participation Here at the Canadian senior games came to a Sud Den halt yesterday at 6 10 . When the fire alarm in the 105-year-old Portage hotel jolted them out of their Beds. We thought it was most Likely a false alarm or an electrical problem said team member Doug Casselman. As soon As we smelled smoke everybody evacuated the building but we still thought we would be Back in within 15 minutes or so. Then All of a sudden the flames started coming out the windows and it just kept getting the team of 15 players two coaches and Casselman a wife were the Only games participants staying at the hotel which was gutted. They All reached safety but were left with Little More than the clothes on their backs. We just had time for me to grab my Wallet and my wife grabbed her purse said 66-year-old Casselman. She did to even have a Chance to get her Nightgown off. She just threw a sweater Over it. She a in Wal Mart right now trying to buy some personal possessions weren to the Only things the team lost in the fire. Id say i had about $2,000 Worth of equipment said Casselman. Everybody lost every thing so take $2,000 times 15, and that comes to about $30,000 Worth of hockey equipment gone up in As far As the hockey is concerned it will mean some schedule changes but Well be Able to handle that said Char lie Clifford co chair of the games Host committee. The hard part is that we re going to lose. People who came to play. We were prepared to find them new equipment but some have braces that they lost in the fire others have lost their glasses or Contact lenses so this is a safety Issue for we took a vote and we re not going to play with different equipment said Cas Selman. Everyone is quite emotional and we re just anxious to go we re going to assist them in getting on a flight As soon As we can today said Clifford. We have a travel agent work ing on it and we Hope air Canada and West Jet will be compassionate with ;