White River Junction, VT Hotel Fire, Jan 1925

HOTEL FIRE LOSS SET AT $250,000.

OIL HEATER BELIEVED TO HAVE EXPLODED IN COOLIDGE HOUSE AT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION.

White River Junction, Vt., Jan. 30 (By Associated Press) -- Fire, caused by an explosion of an oil heater on the second floor of the Coolidge House last night, destroyed the building with a loss estimated by local authorities at $250,000. The hotel, until recently known as the Junction House, had 340 rooms and was one of the largest in New England. The fire damage was added to by the destruction of eight stores on the street floor.
Although there was no wind, the blaze swept through the wooden structure with incredible speed and threatened to spread to nearby buildings in the business section. This was prevented in great measure by the assistance of the fire department of Lebanon, West Lebanon and Hanover, N. H., apparatus from which was rushed here as soon as the fire assumed dangerous proportions. Telephone communications with the outside world was cut off about 6:30 when the menace of the flames caused the local exchange to be abandoned.
All of the guests escaped.

The Fitchburg Sentinel Massachusetts 1925-01-30
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!