DISASTROUS FIRES.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXIV, Issue 1221, 26 November 1897, Page 3

DISASTROUS FIRES.

EONDON. The greatest fire in London since the Tooley street conflagration of August, 1861, when enormous damage was done amongst the wharves and warehouses, occurred Saturday. It originated through a gas explosion in Hamswel! street, E-C, the centre of an enormous block of manufactories and warehouses. So strong a hold had the fire obtained and so rapidly did it spread that the firemrr. were at" first powerlrss to cope with it. Well street, Hamswell street, and Jewin street were, soon a mass of flames, and the premised comprising these streets were completely destroyed, as also were parts of Nicholl square, Jewin crescent, Bradford Avenue, Wood street, and Red cross street. Much damage was also done to Australian avenue, Edmund place, Monkswell street, and Paul's alley. Barber's Hall and St. Giles' Church and Rectory, Cripplegate, were seriously damaged. Many workman and girls in the factories and warehouses narrowly escaped death. T hey frantically ru«hed into the streets. Others were rescued from the roofs by fire escapß?, Two firemen took refuge on a parapet 60ft high and were surrounded by flames, but were, rescued with difficulty. Forty onu engines, all the fire brigades in the Metropolis, and the salvage companies wpie engaged fighting the flames for 10 hours. There were many narrow escapes, but no fatalities are reported. The heat and fulling debris destroyed the telegraph wires in all direction?. The western boundary of tho conflagration was Alde.rsgate street north, and the eastern Foro street, where the acene of devastation was at its greatest, the wind extending it to a quarter of a mile. Over 100 warehouses and offices were burned. The damage is estimated at two millions. The Goldsmiths' Company are the chief holders of the freehold affected by tho fire.