Mount Murray will be open again in days, says owner Albert Gubay

The business tycoon behind the Mount Murray Hotel and Country Club has praised firefighters for saving half the complex – and is confident that many facilities can be back open within days.

Speaking yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, Albert Gubay said he had taken a call at 10.30am from his engineer to tell him the hotel’s bedroom block was ablaze.

‘I thought it was a joke at first,’ he said. ‘He told me it was on fire and flames were coming out of everywhere.’

But he added: ‘It didn’t get across the bridge so we will be able to re-open very shortly. We’re very lucky that the fire didn’t go that side. We’ve just refurbished the gym. The fire service has been excellent – the chief fire officer should be given a medal.

‘Within a couple of days will be back on-stream.’

Brian Stowell, technical director of the group which runs the hotel, said he had taken a call from Mr Gubay who told him to ‘smash down the link bridge and save half of it’. The fire crews stopped the fire at that point.

He said: ‘We’re very fortunate only the accommodation block has been affected. The accommodation block to all intents and purposes is written off. But the other side will still be able to function for weddings etc and the health club will able to re-open very shortly.’

Some 50 people were evacuated from the hotel accommodation block when the fire broke out.

Mr Stowell said: ‘The fire spread across the roof. I was instrumental in the construction and I can’t understand how it has managed to burn. I would never have believed a fire would take hold so quickly and it would have burned so violently.’

The unaffected block contains function rooms, restaurant, bistro, pool and a gym.

Mr Stowell said the priority now was to make the accommodation block secure as it was at risk of collapse.

He said once his team could get into the unaffected reception block, the aim was isolate services and get them restored. ‘I’m hoping we can get up and running in the next couple of days,’ he said.

Mr Stowell confirmed that roofers had been working on the building that morning and the fire started around the area where they were working.



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