GREAT FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1924, Page 7

GREAT FIRE

AT SYDNEY EMPORIUM

FOOLHARDY CROWDS.

(FROH OUR OWN CORKH6FOIIDINT.)

SYDNEY, 17th January. The congested industrial suburb of Newtown, which lies to the south of the city, was the scene of one of the greatest fires in the history of Sydney on Monday night, the four-story emporium of Marcus Clark and Co., in "Brown street, being destroyed. Although Marcus Clark.and Co. are now best known as a city firm by their big premises near the Central Station, they originated theirbusiness in the suburb of Newtown, and confined their Operations there for many years, and it was their principal building there which suffered^ It is estim.at.ed that theioss, entirely covered by insurance, will tun into close upon £100,000.

The outbreak was discovered shortly before nine o'clock at night, and in a very short time a huge column of fire was ascending into the night, and was visible for miles beyond the metropolis. An alarming feature was the insistent crowds which flocked to the scene, and surged ,intq the danger zone with the utmost recklessness. When the fire brigades from available centres were rushed to the scene it was found that the water l pressure was utterly inade^ quate to cope with s the outbreak, and the danger of huge blocks of masonry collapsing into the street was imminent.^ Police were rushed to the locality,- and had difficulty in breaking their way through the dense masses'of people who blocked all thoroughfares. Many, haw- I ever, rushed in behind the clanging fire engines before which the sea of humanity opened like the Bed Sea before the Israelites, closing again when they had passed. On reaching the burning' building the policemen had almost as ' tough a job in fighting back the crowds as had the firemen in fighting the fire, all being in situations of great peril. That their endeavours were urgently needed was dramatically demons strated before the blaze had been long in progress. With a deafening crash .whioh could be heard in the middle of the city, the front wall collapsed into Brown street. Great blocks of masonry were thrown right across the street, smashing against the buildings opposite, and the street became piled up with flaming debris. The crowds surged back in horror, women soreamed, and the waiting ambulances had to rush a number of the onlookers off to the'hospitals suffering\from the effects of being crushed and trampled on. The blazing walls were then exposed to view, and the greedy flames were seen leaping r^ross the apartments, devouring all manner of clothing and other goods displayed for sale. The firemen worked with splendid energy and heroism, but their task so far as the emporium itself was hopeless from the first, and when the water pressure was improved they had to concentrate their efforts' on saving the surrounding buildings, some of which, including a large Salvation: Army citadel, were considerably damaged. The emporium was razed to the ground, and the following day the. efforts of the police were directed to finding the large safes which had been contained in the offices. It was thought that possibly the outbreak had been caused by safeblowers, who have been active in- the oity recently. The safes, [however, were discovered amongst the debris all intact. ; The effect of the intense heat rendered it impossible to open them, consequently police remained constantly on guard over them, ponding expert.efforts to unbuild them. It is thought that thero is a good chance of the large sums which they votitnin being found to be unaffected by th» fixe. '