The Exchange Hotel in Jandowae was built in 1906 in High Street, Jandowae.
At about 4.15am on the morning of 12 February 1938, Mr. D. Hickson, father of the licensee of the hotel (Mrs W. E. Cureton), who was sleeping on the veranda of the hotel, was awakened by the sound of a fire. He rushed to the dining room, where he noticed two separate fires. These spread rapidly, and in a very short time the fire had engulfed the whole building.
When he found the blaze, Mr. Hickson awakened the other occupants of the hotel, Mrs Cureton, her daughter, and Gladys Shaw, who was an employee. As they rushed from the building the occupants managed to save some clothing, but the spreading flames prevented them again entering the building to save anything further.
Most of the residents of the town were attracted by the blaze, and a bucket brigade was formed by Constable W. T. Hibbett. The 30 members of this brigade did good work in preventing the fire spreading to an adjoining shop and dwellings on the southern and northern sides of the hotel.
An enquiry found that it was likely that the fire had been deliberately lit, but not enough evidence existed to charge anyone with the crime.
A two-story hotel of the same name was built in its place not long after, and is still in existence in High Street, Jandowae.
