Historic Phillip Island pub Isle of Wight burns down

POLICE arson squad members today were combing the burnt out shell of Phillip Island’s iconic Isle of Wight Hotel. READER'S PICS

A reader's pic of Phillip Island's Isle of Wight hotel on fire. Picture: Paul Chipperfield

POLICE arson squad members today were combing the burnt out shell of Phillip Island’s iconic Isle of Wight Hotel.

Detective leading senior constable Rob Brown, of Wonthaggi police, said at this stage the investigation into this morning’s fire, which gutted the hotel, was in its early stages.
 

“CCTV footage from the street will be viewed … which cover a number of streets around here”, he said. “And plus it happened a short time after closing too, within 10 or so minutes of the closing time.”

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While the fire was being put out this morning, police warned residents to stay indoors for fear of smoke-borne asbestos from the building.

CFA Group Officer Damien O’Connor said fire fighters were called to the pub at 2.20am.

He said the cause of the blaze was still unknown.

“It was a wooden building, and old building typical of the stuff that was built in the 1920’s so fire fighting was fairly difficult,” Mr O’Connor said.

About 100 fire fighters including 16 fire trucks and 9 specialist appliances took three hours too bring the flames under control.

The pub’s owner, David Gearing, said his family were devastated.

The pub was due to be demolished with a five-star hotel and bar to be built in its place.

Mr Gearing said he did not believe that fire had been deliberately lit.
 
He believed the flames started in the hotel’s office.
 

“We are due for redevelopment and we didn’t want it to happen like this,” Mr Gearing said.

“We were really hoping for a better way out. I’m sure people will talk but there’s no way anything was suspicious about it. I am really looking forward to seeing what started it.”

Local resident Paul Chipperfield said he received a call from his parents just after 3am about the blaze.
 

"The flames were shooting up," Mr Chipperfield said. "There was explosions near where the TAB was located inside.
 

"The whole joint's destroyed.''
 

Mr Chipperfield said many locals were devastated, including the manager who was being consoled by regular drinkers.
 

"A lot of people are very passionate about the pub,'' Mr Chipperfield said.
 

"People are very upset. Most were just standing there in shock.''