Lack of Water Dooms Aptos, Calif., Hotel
VOLUNTEER FIREMEN of Northern California’s coastal Santa Cruz County got their toughest workout in years early on March 17, as most of the picturesque Aptos Beach Inn was destroyed by a S450,000 blaze. Three hundred guests were evacuated safely, but two firemen suffered serious burns during the desperate fight by eight fire departments to save the rambling structure in the face of a totally inadequate water supply.
The inn was once the Rio Del Mar Hotel, showpiece of a million-dollar beachfront suburb begun in predepression boom days. Completed in 1932 with additions over the next five years, the hotel consisted of two main sections. The east wing, mostly one story, included kitchen and service areas, bars, and 10,000 square feet of dining and ballrooms. The two-story west wing housed the lobby and 35 guest rooms.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
