On
January 6, 1981, the Hull's Hotel (a 102 year-old landmark located at 103 E.
Main St.) was destroyed by flames early Monday morning.
Fire officials
reported only one person was slightly injured and that all nine residents of
the hotel escaped the flames. The only reported injury was received by
the hotel owner, J. Norman Hull,Sr., who suffered burns, cuts, and bruises on
both hands. He was treated in the office of Dr. Fritz Guenter, a local
physician. Some of the residents escaped by jumping from windows onto
a porch roof and then to the ground, according to witnesses.
According to one source, more that $100,000 worth of antiques were lost in the
blaze. Smethport Fire Chief Harold Carter said that when his men arrived
at the scene (about 2 a.m.) the fire already had a head start and flames were
shooting out the front and back windows of the wooden three-story structure.
The Smethport Fire Department were assisted by units form Port Allegany, Kane,
Hilltop, and Norwich Township fire departments. About 85 firemen used
some 13 pieces of equipment to battle the intense flames, which several times
shot part way across Main and Mechanic Streets. In addition to the intense
flames, the firemen had to contend with the snow and sub-freezing temperatures.