Terrible Fire in Neiafu-Bounty Bar Gone!

so sad to hear of this-the Bounty was a dump but a dump with character, lots of other places in Neiafu but none so rickety(!)

FIRE DESTROYS SHOPPING DISTRICT IN TONGA’S NEIAFU
Second big fire to hit Neiafu in a month

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Matangi Tonga,Dec. 17, 2008) – A second big fire to hit Neiafu within a month, destroyed a block of the central shopping area of the small town this afternoon.

Fanned by a strong breeze the fire spread rapidly through at least eight small businesses on the seaward side of the main street. It is not known where the fire started.

The Neiafu fire brigade received the call at 3:18 pm and confirmed that the fire gutted all the buildings from Teta Tours and Airlines Tonga, including the Bounty Bar all the way to the O.G. Sanft Building, but stopped short of the Tonga Development Bank's cement building.

Ketiola Lolohea, of the Neiafu Western Union Office, said that fanned by the wind the fire spread rapidly through the roofs of the old timber buildings and threatened to spread across the road to the new ANZ Bank and her offices but the fire brigade bulldozed a small building on the corner to stop the fire from spreading further.

She said that the O.G. Sanft Building - one of the oldest commercial buildings in Neiafu, as well as an auto parts store, the Guttenbeil handicrafts shop and nightclub, the Friendly Islands Bookshop, Kelly's Store, Lita Store, the Bounty Bar, Airlines Tonga, and Samiu Vaipulu's offices were destroyed.

Other businesses destroyed were two grog shops, as well as the Kalia Bar and the Otu Moi Plumbing Store.

"The police got everyone out of the buildings so no-one was hurt," said Ketiola.

The fire appeared to have spread from the direction of the O.G. Sanft Bldg. and Guttenbeils' shops.

Earlier, on November 13 a fire destroyed the administration and entertainment block of Neiafu's Paradise Hotel.

http://www.pidp.org/pireport/2008/December/12-18-03.htm

Link to more news and a few sad sad pics

Just a few days ago I was on Youtube looking at a video of the main street taken from a car rolling along into town-I was so happy -calling out the names of places I knew as they came into view.

This is so sad.

Sorry to hear the bookstore is gone. Not much there, but it was a tiny oasis to visit. And I had not heard of the previous fire at the Paradise. Also pretty bad news.