Great Chebeague Island, ME Hotel Fire, Aug 1924

THREE KNOWN DEAD IN FIRE.

HOTEL IN CASCO BAY AND SEVERAL SURROUNDING BUILDINGS DESTROYED.

FIRE STARTED FROM CIGARET STUB THROWN BENEATH PLAZZA -- LOSS $100,000.

Portland, Me., August 4 -- Three of the 90 guests at the Hillcrest, a summer hotel at Great Chebeague Island, in Casco Bay, which was burned yesterday afternoon with several surrounding buildings, were known today to be dead. Whether there were other victims remained to be determined definitely today after the ruins had cooled, but it was believed there were no others.
The dead:
EDWARD RANDALL, 73, Medford, Mass., chairman of the board of assessors.
IRVIN O'HARA, 25, Brooklyn, N. Y.
JOHN L. CADY, JR., 26, Brooklyn, N. Y.
The buildings burned besides the Hotel Hillcrest were one used as a dance hall and annex, a private residence and a boathouse. The loss was estimated at $100,000, including the personal effects of the guests of which only a trunk was saved.
The fire started from a cigaret stub thrown beneath the plazza of the hotel, spread rapidly through that building and to the annex in which CADY and O'HARA were sleeping on the second floor.
CADY escaped immediate death by jumping from a window, but died from the effects of burns on the face and chest shortly before midnight, after he had been hurried to a hospital here. O'HARA was trapped in his room and a body, believed to be his, was found today in the ruins. CADY was understood to have said that O'HARA was a nephew of Mayor John F. Hylan of New York.
MR. RANDALL, who was chairman of the board of assessors of Medford, was talking with another guest near the hotel when the fire broke out. He rushed in to save personal effects when he was overtaken by the flames and smoke. He jumped but could not be rescued, although attempts were made to reach him. He was burned almost beyond recognition, but was identified by members of his family, which included his wife and two daughters.
OWEN L. POTTER of Auburn, N. Y., executive legal assistant to Governor Smith of New York and his wife were among the guests at the hotel. They came here last night.
JESS GUILFORD, the golf star who is visiting on the island while giving exhibitions in Maine, was among those early on the scene who rendered assistance to the guests some of whom fainted during the excitement attending the fire.
The Hillcrest was built about 25 years ago.

Lowell Sun Massachusetts 1924-08-04

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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!