intact

put out : extinguish

LINT caught in a clothes dryer sparked a blaze which severely damaged an historic hotel at Trentham, north of Melbourne, a Country Fire Authority spokesman said.

The damage bill has been estimated at $1 million.

CFA's George Ellis said the cause of the fire at the Cosmopolitan Hotel early today had been traced to a duct in an industrial clothes dryer.

"There was a build up of lint which caught fire and caused the further damage," he said.

"The lower storey is intact but it sustained a lot of water and smoke damage," Mr Ellis said.

"The roof and ceiling of the building was all destroyed."

Bruce McKenzie has lived next door to the hotel for 78 years and said the whole place was made of wood.

"There were all wooden shingles under the iron roof which is great insulation, but unfortunately is hard to put out," he said.

[ $1m fire caused by dryer ]