DUer jberryhill sent me this link re the Mobay Richmond Hill Hotel fire

[malaise]

https://caymanmarlroad.com/montego-bays-historical-hotel-destroyed-in-fiery-blaze/
<snip>
The historic Richmond Hill Hotel in Montego Bay Jamaica was engulfed in flames last night and completely destroyed after a fire broke around 9:30 pm.

The 200-year-old property is steeped in history and in the 1700s was the property of the Dewars, members of the proud Scott’s clan from which the famous whiskey takes its name. The property is currently owned by Stefanie Chin and family. They have had the property for some 60-years and reportedly said that “everything is gone”. The owners have said the hotel had no insurance.

Over the years there have been some famous people at the inn. Some of the famous people who have spent time at the inn include Richard Nixon, John Rollins, Roger Moore, Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Rosie Greer, Paul Newman, Eddy Murphy, Butch Stewart, plus various heads of Governments.

The Inn boasts one of the largest collections of artwork by Barrington Watson, Jamaica’s most renowned artist. Also lost is 200-year-old antique furniture.

==============
Here's the local Gleaner report
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20200101/gone-forever-richmond-hill-inn-owners-say-historic-mobay-great-house
<snip>
The family that operated the 214-year-old Richmond Hill Inn, which was ravaged by fire on Monday night, has said that rebuilding the historic Montego Bay landmark is out of the question.

The repurposed great house, owned and operated by Stefanie Chin and her two daughters, was burnt to ashes by fire of unknown origin, which began some time after 9:30 p.m.

The smoke from the blaze covered the city of Montego Bay for three hours as residents watched in bewilderment as flames consumed the history-rich facility, which has, in the last 20 years, become a popular venue for weddings and dinner parties.

Eyewitnesses say the fire spread rapidly.

“Seconds after it started, it was spreading throughout the building,” said the 13-year-old boy who saw it first.

He added that he alerted his mother, who called the operators and the fire brigade.

A German guest staying in one of the rooms separate from the great house area reportedly tried to use a hose hoping to battle the flames, but they were too much for him.

NO INSURANCE
The building, which the owners said was not insured, was gutted before firefighters could douse the flames. Property such as artworks and furnishings – with the exception of the building – is valued at US$10 million (J$13.3 billion).

Several 15th- and 16th-century antique pieces; art by one of Jamaica’s most revered artists, the late Barrington Watson; and an original terracotta jar brought to Jamaica by a Spanish galleon during the 15th century reign of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain are among priceless pieces destroyed.

Photos of former United States President Jimmy Carter, who dined there during the days the late John Rollins would roll in with some of the biggest names in government; entertainers LL Cool J, Alicia Keys, Eddie Murphy; and Jamaican Prime Ministers Alexander Bustamante, Edward Seaga and Norman Manley were among images hanging on the molasses, horsehair and limestone walls of the great house.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Wow, that's quite a loss.

I'd bet that insuring that historic property and the antiques inside was prohibitively expensive. Sounds like it's irreplaceable.

[malaise]

7. What I love is that Nixon visited the property and so did Jimmy Carter

but Carter's photo was on the wall

[greatauntoftriplets]

8. That was probably for the best.

They would not have gotten along well.

[cwydro]

9. I think Jimmy Carter would be gracious to anyone he meets.

He’s that kind of man.

[greatauntoftriplets]

11. Probably.

But Nixon would have been nasty.

[malaise]

12. It was a popular wedding property

Some of my friends were married there -the two that stand out was one in 1971 and another in 1974. We were so young back then, but they're still happily married complete with grandchildren.

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. It would have been a beautiful wedding venue.

How wonderful that your friends are still happily married. It does happen.

[jberryhill]

2. In better days...

[malaise]

6. It was a beautiful property

Insurance should be mandatory for all hotels

[Greybnk48]

3. A loss of that magnitude historically is breathtaking.

I can't even imagine how the local people feel.

[babylonsister]

4. I wonder why insurance wasn't mandatory?

Sounds like a terrible loss, and insurance wouldn't change that, but still...

[malaise]

5. That is the real question

Will follow this one to find out

[localroger]

17. Probably couldn't afford it

It's a very old structure, not up to modern code, and they would have probably needed to go to some specialty provider like Lloyd's to get insurance at all. Being in a relatively poor country it probably couldn't produce a revenue stream capable of meeting that kind of premium.

[panader0]

10. What a terrible loss.....

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

14. I'm gobsmacked by the no insurance.

I suppose I could be cynical and say that with no insurance the owners probably didn't set the fire to collect money.

And has has already been pointed out, insurance wouldn't save what was lost, but would at least allow them to rebuild, which probably won't happen now.

[malaise]

15. Not sure I can post what the cynic in me thinks on this one

but many folks don't give a shit about the historical value of anything and tearing down that great house would have led to a national and global outcry.
Now a new modern hotel can and will replace it. Notice that he owners didn't take long to say they won't be rebuilding the great house.

[bitterross]

16. I'm cynical too.

Just wondering if they have an offer for the land where a new, modern hotel with a lot more rooms can now be built. There's no way they could have just torn down the historic old property and built a new one. The community and the government wouldn't have allowed it.

Follow the money is always the thing to do.