CRYSTAL PALACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 132, 1 December 1936, Page 10

CRYSTAL PALACE

SPECTACULAR BLAZE

LONDON DISASTER

(United Press Association—By Electric Tele-

graph—Copyright.) (Received December 1, 1.50 p.m.) LONDON, November 30. An outstanding landmark of south-cast London visible from eight counties, the Crystal Palace, which was famous as a naval training school during the war, was spectacularly sunk into insignificance when it was destroyed by fire. The blaze started in the centre of the transept and quickly spread, owing to the inflammable nature of the flooring, to the entire structure. The flames leaped to a height of 500 feet and sparks flew two miles. The crash of woodwork and glass was audible still further away. Thousands of sightseers' congested adjacent roads, thronged the Embankment, and clustered on the terrace of the House of Commons. The crash of the roof of the famous transept, the scene of numberless concerts and exhibitions, was audible a mile away. MUSICIANS' NARROW ESCAPE. The palace orchestra was rehearsing in the lobby when the alarm was given, and the players narrowly escaped with their lives. The blaze attained a maximum height of 2100 feet, hurling a pillar of sparks to the sky and illuminating the arrival of late fire engines, which represented South London's quota of 50 machines from all over London. The big television tower succumbed to the flames after one of many explosions which destroyed the great organ. It is impossible to estimate the value of the television apparatus which was destroyed, but it certainly amounts to thousands of pounds. The entire main entrance collapsed at 9 p.m., hurling up showers of sparks which eclipsed the fireworks displays so often staged at the Crystal Palace. Four aeroplanes which were dispatched for the purpose of securing Press photographs flew over the conflagration, the brilliance of which rendered every letter on the aeroplanes readable. Quite apart from the intrinsic loss by fire, it is disastrous because the palace was among the buildings which would have taken overflow gatherings during the Coronation celebrations. The building was fully insured. The building cost £1,500,000 and £300,000 was spent on improvements to the south tower. The north tower survived, despite the destruction of subjacent.buildings. These towers, 500 feet high, were erected for the purpose of two great fountains. When the lights on the south tower went out at 9 p.m. the structure resembled an incandescent chimney with smoke pouring from the summit. It assumed an ominous tilt, necessitating the evacuation of adjacent houses. Meanwhile the glass roof of the main building melted in streams of glowing glass, forcing back many of the 350 firemen, who were mobilised with 65 appliances, six water towers, and many fire pumps to combat the blaze, of which it is estimated that 3,000,000 Londoners were spectators. MANAGER HEARTBROKEN. The firemen, after several had been injured, secured control at 10.30 p.m. Police cars meanwhile careered everywhere, called by means of loud-speakers, looking for Sir Henry Buckland, manager of the Palace, whom a reporter found and interviewed. He said: "I. am heartbroken. My Crystal Palace is finished, and there will never be another." His daughter Crystal, who was named after the palace, patted him on the shoulder and exclaimed: "Cheer up, daddy. It will be all right." Mr. F. W. Holloway, the palace organist, says that the Handel festival music, worth thousands of pounds, was destroyed. The British Broadcasting Corporation warned the public not to approach I too near, and motor coaches altered their routes to enable patrons to see tha fire. Spectators were thrilled when they noticed hundreds of birds flutter from the aviary to the safety of adjacent trees, but many cockatoos and parrots perished and goldfish were

boiled in the tanks. One tabby cat escaped from, the ruins. The Duke of Kent, accompanied by an equerry, motored from the West End in evening dress, stood in the roadway and gazed at the blazing north transept. He watched the firemen working.