Hotel Fires

The Franklin Hotel, Assiniboia, burned down on December 16, 2008.  Photo by Landon Ullrich

Another small-town Saskatchewan hotel went up in flames this past weekend. Carol MacCallum, the owner of the Choiceland hotel and bar, vows to rebuild the hotel. “This is a great town, these are great people” MacCallum told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “They need a bar. The bar is a community centre.”

Many hotels that once commanded the corners of Railway and Main have burned to the ground over the years.  It didn’t take much – a live cinder drawn up the chimney by a strong wind and igniting the flat tar roof; the explosion of a coal oil stove – to set these rambling old wooden buildings ablaze.  

Queen’s Hotel fire, Macrorie, 1957.

From Jubilee Reminiscences:

A History of Macrorie (1957)

Hotel fires caused death and destruction. In 1912, the hotel in Antler, Saskatchewan, caught fire after an explosion of the gas works which provided the building’s light and heat. According to the town’s history book (1983), the guests in the front part of the hotel escaped unharmed, but it was a different story for staff members in the back of the building. “Two chambermaids were saved by the Chinese cook, who forcibly threw these two frightened girls over the hole, and they escaped unhurt. Dan Morrison, who was also in the back part, had his hair and face badly burnt. Fred Brown, a man of German descent, a carpenter and resident of the hotel, died in this event. He was found with his mattress still under him; evidently he died of smoke inhalation, never waking. They had held a birthday party for him the day before the fire.”

Aftermath of the Macoun Hotel explosion, 1914.

Image source

One of the most tragic hotel fires in Saskatchewan’s history occurred in Macoun on a windy April day in 1914. Thirteen people died and many were injured when an acetylene lighting plant in the hotel basement exploded. It was lunch time, and the hotel dining room was filled to capacity. The owner’s son smelled gas and decided to go down to the basement to investigate – with a lit cigar in his mouth. As soon as he opened the basement door, the place exploded. The entire building was thrown about thirty feet in the air, and then crashed back down. The young man with the cigar survived with only a few bruises, singed hair and eyebrows. Everyone else caught in the conflagration – save two – perished in the fire, or died later as a result of their injuries. 

Maple Leaf Hotel fire, Lumsden, 1909 Source

In the early days, few of Saskatchewan’s small towns had the means to extinguish the flames of a big fire. A disastrous hotel fire prompted many a town council to buy firefighting equipment. Other town passed bylaws mandating the construction of firewalls between adjacent buildings.  Roofs had to be made of incombustible materials. The front verandas and covered balconies that once graced most old hotels had to be removed as they added to the fire hazard. In 1933, the town of Radville passed a bylaw forcing every hotel to provide fire escapes, signs leading to theses escapes, fire extinguishers on each floor, and a rope for each guest room. The minute book of the town of Webb records Hotel Bylaw No. 19: “Every public hotel shall be provided with one cotton rope at least three-quarter inch in diameter to be firmly fastened at least two feet above the windowsill in each bedroom.”

Firefighting demonstration, Comstock Hotel, Halbrite, n.d.

Plowshares to Pumpjacks (1984)

Not everyone was sad to see the town hotel burn down.  When the women of Clavet heard that the hotel was on fire in 1915 - the year Prohibition was introduced in Saskatchewan, it is reported they said, "Hell is burning." 


Small-Town Saskatchewan Hotels Destroyed by Fire (list in progress):

1. Aberdeen: Aberdeen Hotel, March 3, 1997 
2. Abernethy: King Edward Hotel, May 27, 1909 
3. Aneroid: Aneroid Hotel, June 3, 1953 
4. Antler: Antler Hotel, December 16, 1912 [started in the hotel gas works; several injured, one killed]
5. Ardill: Ardill Hotel, October 1965
6. Asquith: Asquith Hotel, October 24, 1911 [explosion; four injured] 
7. Assiniboia: Franklin Hotel, December 16, 2008 
8. Atwater: Atwater Hotel, 1927 
9. Avonlea: King George Hotel, 1916 
10. Balcarres: Balcarres Hotel, November 3, 1974
11. Balgonie: Balgonie Hotel, November 7, 1909 
12. Beechy: Beechy Hotel, December 13, 1948 
13. Bengough: Bengough Hotel, January 16, 1977
14. Biggar: Eden Hotel, July 13, 1982 
15. Broadview: Broadview Hotel, Jan. 1956 [$100,000 fire; and café] 
16. Brownlee: City Hotel, June 30, 1929 [smaller hotel built in its place] 
17. Buchanan: Buchanan Hotel, June 20, 1988
18. Cabri: Cabri Hotel, March 12, 2022
19. Cadillac: Vendome Hotel, December 27, 1923 
20. Candle Lake: The Ship’s Lantern, November 26, 2006
21. Cadillac: Cadillac Hotel, 1946 [rebuilt] 
22. Carnduff: Clarendon/Queen’s Hotel, 1921 or 1924 
23. Carrot River: Carrot River Hotel (Derniuk’s), 1933 
24. Ceylon: Ceylon Hotel, December 25, 1911 
25. Chamberlain: Chamberlain Hotel, June 21, 1942 
26. Chaplin: Chaplin Hotel, September 1933
27. Chaplin: Chaplin Hotel, October 1956 [$80,000 damage] 
28. Choiceland: Choiceland Hotel, Feb. 19, 2011 
29. Christopher Lake: Christopher Lake Hotel, March 2019 [arson]
30. Clavet: French Hotel, 1915 
31. Colonsay: Colonsay Hotel, October 2, 1920
32. Consul: Consul Hotel, August 3, 2015
33. Craik: Craik Hotel, January 31, 2003 
34. Craven: Iroquois Hotel, 1908 
35. Craven: Empress Hotel, 1961 
36. Cudworth: Cudworth Hotel 1973 
37. Debden: Debden Hotel, 1926 
38. Debden: Debden Hotel, early 1930s 
39. Debden: Debden Hotel, early 1960s
40. Delmas: Delmas Hotel, 1912 [at least one person killed] 
41. Denholm: Denholm Hotel, October 6, 1913
42. Disley: Disley Hotel, July 1954 
43. Dubuc: Bernier Street Hotel, June 11, 2013
44. Earl Grey: Hotel Grey, 1924 
45. Eastend: Cypress Hotel, March 1916; rebuilt 
46. Edam: Rendezvous Hotel, June 5, 2017
47. Edenwold: Edenwold Hotel, July 1, 1991
48. Eldersley: White (Tice) Hotel, December 1927 
49. Elfros:  Tequilas Hotel, October 9, 2014
50. Elrose: Elrose Hotel, September 12, 1993 
51. Elstow: Elstow Hotel, 1916 or 1918 [two people killed] 
52. Estuary: Nordby Hotel, August 20, 1917 [entire business section of town destroyed]
53. Estevan: Kelly House, 1909
54. Estevan: Estevan Hotel, Feb. 27, 1936 [aka Clarendon or American; hospital also destroyed] 
55. Estevan: International Hotel, March 1973
56. Fairlight: Fairlight Hotel, 1978 
57. Fenwood: Fenwood Hotel, January 22, 1963
58. Fielding: Fielding Hotel, July 22, 1922 
59. Fiske: Fiske Hotel, May 27, 1919 
60. Flaxcombe: Silver Hotel, January 26, 1929 
61. Fort Qu’Appelle: Fort Hotel, Feb. 1974 [$250,000 damage]
62. Gainsborough: Queen’s Hotel, between 1900-1905 
63. Garrick: Garrick Hotel, March 1988
64. Glen Ewen: Glen Ewen Hotel, 2007 
65. Golden Prairie: Golden Prairie Hotel, December 1963
66. Goodeve: Goodeve Hotel, January 19, 1982
67. Govan: Silver Plate Hotel, 1960 
68. Govan: Govan Hotel damaged, February 1978 
69. Gravelbourg: Cecil Hotel, August 12, 1926 
70. Gravelbourg:  King's Hotel, May 1972 
71. Grenfell:  King’s Hotel, 1927 
72. Gull Lake: Lakeview Hotel, June 12, 1921 
73. Gull Lake: Clarendon Hotel, October 9, 2016 [arson]
74. Harris: Commercial Hotel, 1924 
75. Hawarden: Hawarden Hotel, January 1949
76. Hazel Dell: Hazel Dell Hotel, October 2, 1978 
77. Herbert: Commercial Hotel, 1918 
78. Herschel: Herschel Hotel, December 25, 1979 
79. Hoey: Hoey Hotel, 2004 
80. Hudson Bay:  Etoimamie Hotel, 1935 
81. Hudson Bay: Red Deer Motor Hotel, February 1979 [fatality]
82. Hughton: Hughton Hotel, September 24, 1914 [arson]
83. Hughton: Hughton Hotel, December 3, 1949
    
84. Humboldt: Humboldt Hotel, 1923 
85. Indian Head: McIntosh Hotel, early 1890s 
86. Indian Head: Indian Head Hotel, 1993 
87. Ituna: Carlton Hotel, 1925
88. Ituna: Ituna Hotel, December 11, 2020
89. Jasmin: Jasmin Hotel, 1920 
90. Kamsack: Woodlander Hotel, December 9, 2023
91. Kandahar: Lakeview Hotel, 1925 or 1926 
92. Kelliher: Grand Trunk Hotel, December 22, 1931
93. Killaly: Killaly Hotel, November 11, 1981 
94. Kinistino:  Kinistino Hotel, March 1950 [two killed] 
95. Kuroki: Kuroki Hotel, April 30, 1922 [one man killed] 
96. Kyle: Kyle Hotel, May 16, 2018
97. Laird:  Laird Hotel, August 1915
98. Lafleche:  Flying Goose Inn, May 21, 2013 [formerly Hotel Metropole, built in 1913]
99. Lampman: Lampman Hotel, January 24, 1932 
100. Lancer: Lancer Hotel, 1958
101. Lanigan: Lanigan Hotel, October 25, 1958
102. Laura: Laura Hotel, November 1, 1966 
103. Leask: Hotel Windsor , Feb. 9, 2011 [arson suspected] 
104. Lebret: Lebret Hotel, October 5, 1916 [and dance pavilion] 
105. Lebret:  Lebret Hotel, September 6, 1927
106. Lemberg: Lemberg Hotel, March 11, 2019
107. Liberty: Liberty Hotel, September 2, 1958 
108. Limerick: Dickenson Hotel, early 1920
109. Lockwood: Lockwood Hotel, March 9, 1951 
110. Loverna: Vernon Hotel, 1960s 
111. Lumsden: Maple Leaf Hotel, February 23, 1909 (see photo above)
     
112. Lumsden: Lumsden Hotel, Sept. 1977 [caused by smoking; people killed] 
113. Lumsden: Lumsden Hotel, Nov. 21, 1998 [damages in excess of $600,000] 
114. Macleod: Commercial Hotel, July 13, 1891 
115. Macoun:  Macoun Hotel, April 20, 1914 [13 people killed] 
116. MacNutt: MacNutt Hotel, 1924; rebuilt 
117. Macrorie: Queen’s Hotel, January 31, 1958 
118. Manitou Beach: Manitou Beach Hotel, 1943 
119. Mankota: Paris Hotel, December 28, 1988
120. Manor: Manor Hotel, 1910 
121. Marchwell: Central Hotel, April 5, 1973
122. Margo: Margo Hotel, November 5, 1954
123. Markinch: Markinch Hotel, March 3, 1930
124. Maryfield: Arlington Hotel, 1945; rebuilt 1946 
125. Mawer: Queen’s Hotel, 1918
126. Mayfair: Mayfair Hotel, March 21. 2002
127. McGee: Van Alstyne’s Hotel, 1915 
128. Meath Park: Meath Park Hotel, October 22, 1995 [arson?] 
129. Mendham: Mendham Country Inn, April 1997
130. Meota: King Edward Hotel, 192
131. Meyronne: Meyronne Hotel, November 14, 1988 [fatality]
132. Melville: King George Hotel, February 17, 2010 [arson]
133. Midale: Frances Hotel, November 8, 1987
134. Milden: Milden Hotel, 1985 
135. Milestone: Milestone Hotel, February 6, 1927 [15-year-old boy dead]
136. Montmartre: Montmarte Hotel, January 1993
137. Moosomin: Queen’s Hotel, 1905 
138. Moosomin: Moosomin Hotel, Jan. 19, 1969 [one man dead, two missing] 
139. Neilburg: Golden Oak Inn / Pitt's Bar & Grill, April 23, 2011
140. Neudorf: Neudorf Hotel, September 3, 2017
141. Nipawin: Anderson Hotel, 1923 
142. Nipawin: Nipawin Hotel, 1933 
143. Nipawin: Park Hotel, May 17, 1979 
144. Nokomis: Patricia Hotel, May 25, 1926
145. Norquay: Norquay Hotel, December 24, 2006
146. Nut Mountain: Mountain House Hotel, November 22, 2006 
147. Ogema: Little Amego Inn, April 20, 1958 
148. Otthon: Otthon Hotel, March 1925 [$20,000 loss] 
149. Oxbow: Palace Hotel, August 1907 [rebuilt as Alexandra Hotel] 
150. Parkbeg: Temperance Hotel, August 1919 
151. Parkside: Parkside Hotel, 1961 
152. Paynton: Paynton Hotel, 1915
153. Paynton: Leland Hotel, 1920 
154. Penzance: Penzance Hotel, May 18, 1941 
155. Piapot: Piapot Hotel, January 15, 1932 
156. Plato: Rymal’s Hotel, 1919 
157. Plenty: Plenty Hotel, 1981 [rebuilt by same owner]
158. Ponteix: Windsor Hotel, 1929 
159. Ponteix: Ponteix Hotel, June 26, 1930
160. Porcupine Plain: Porcupine Hotel, 2001
161. Portreeve: Portreeve Hotel, February 1919 or 1920 
162. Prelate: Prelate Hotel, August 10, 2009 
163. Prud’homme: Flanders Hotel, 1957 [rebuilt the same year] 
164. Punnichy: Glenrose Hotel, December 14, 1955 
165. Qu'Appelle: Queen's Hotel, April 17, 2003
166. Quinton: Quinton Hotel, May 10, 1983
167. Ravenscrag: Ravenscrag Hotel, 1954 
168. Redvers: King’s Hotel, 1951 
169. Redvers: Western Star Inn & Suites, January 18, 2021
170. Rhein: Rex Hotel, July 24, 1930
171. Rhein: Rhein Hotel, May 11, 1967
172. Riverhurst: Riverhurst Hotel, December 24, 1974
173. Rosetown: York Hotel, July 9, 1983
174. Rosthern: Klondike Hotel, 1906 
175. Rosthern: Occidental/National Hotel, August  26,1928 
176. Rosthern: Queen’s Hotel, 1961 
177. Rush Lake: Rush Lake Hotel, October 5, 1926 
178. Ruthilda: Boon’s Hotel, summer 1926 
179. St. Benedict: St. Benedict Hotel, April 18, 2018
180. Shaunavon: Empress Hotel, December 17, 1914 
181. Shell Lake: Shell Lake Hotel, 1956 
182. Shellbrook: Former Tynen Hotel, January 18, 1943.
183. Somme: Somme Hotel, 1943 
184. Sonningdale: Sonningdale Hotel, March 19, 1995 [cooking oil to blame]
185. Sovereign: Sovereign Hotel, 1915
186. Spalding: Spalding Hotel, 1922 
187. Speers: Speers Hotel, December 7, 1989 
188. Spiritwood: Spiritwood Hotel, November 20, 1946
189. Spy Hill: Spy Hill Hotel, 1940
     
190. Star City: Queen’s Bar and Grille, March 2021
191. Stenen: King George Hotel, October 26, 2011
     
192. Stoughton: King Edward Hotel, February 1, 1905 
193. Stoughton: Stoughton Hotel, August 1975 [two fatalities]
194. Sturgis: Hotel Sturgis, March 1926 
195. Swift Current: Empress Hotel, December 25, 1931 [$100,000 loss] 
196. Tantallon: Tantallon Hotel, December 5, 1938 
197. Tantallon: Valley View Hotel, April 25, 2019
198. Tisdale: Imperial Hotel, February 7, 1933
199. Tompkins: Pypres(?) Hotel, February 3, 1925
200. Turtleford: Glenhavon Hotel, February 1, 1922 
201. Tway:  Tway Hotel, April 5,1996 
202. Val Marie: Val Marie Hotel, April 20, 1954
203. Vidora: Vidora Hotel, Feb. 19, 1925 [also pool hall and a store; $14,000 loss] 
204. Vonda: Vonda Hotel, 1924 
205. Walpole: Walpole Hotel, 1923 or 1924 
206. Wapella: Wapella Hotel, June 1890 [two arsonists convicted of setting fire] 
207. Webb: [Weere’s] Hotel, January 1962
208. Willow Bunch: European Hotel, November 11, 1959
209. Willow Bunch: Hotel Manoir, Feb. 1995 [arson] 
210. Wolseley: Windsor Hotel, 1906
211. Wolseley: Leland Hotel, October 5, 1923 
212. Wynyard: Wynyard Hotel, March 6,1932 
213. Yellow Grass: Yellow Grass Hotel, November 13, 1994 [arson]
214. Young: Young Hotel, November 13, 2011

© Joan Champ, 2011