This
fire broke out on March 3rd. 1927 and caused extensive internal damage.
The event produced an unlikely hero in William Dicker the Hotel "Boots"
who the watching crowd observed as he climbed drainpipes and a parapet
to rescue two elderly lady guests.
From the closeness of the onlookers it seems that crowd control with
Health and Safety measures were not the most important consideration.
I have recently learned from a Mr.Mike Pinnock that his father was
part of a Royal Marines detachment from HMS Tiger who were sent to
the Hotel on that date presumably to assist in some way.
HMS Tiger was a Battle Cruiser and at that time she was a gunnery
training ship based at Portland
Another
view of the damage can be seen here
