KIBE IN COLOMBO STREET.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2398, 9 December 1881, Page 3

KIBE IN COLOMBO STREET.

The city was alarmed last night at about ten o’clock by the vigorous ringing of the firo bells. A bright glare was at the same time visible in the southern part of the town. The fire engines, accompanied by crowds of people, at once hastened to the locality thus indicated, and it was discovered that s firo was raging at Messrs Vincent and Co.’s brewery. South Colombo street. It appears that at about ten minutes to ten o'clock the night watchman stationed in the neighborhood observed fire issuing from the roof of the wooden portion of the buildings used for carrying on the brewing operations. The glare from the fire was seen about the same time by two men in the adjoining building, and an alarm was at once given. Some little time elapsed before the fire bells were rung, and it was nearly a quarter-past ten before the fire brigade arrived upon the scene, which they did with a steam fire engine and a hand engine, both of which were stationed in the brewery yard close to the burning building, and connection with an adjacent tank containing between 2000 and 3000 gallons being secured, a strong force of water was at once brought to play upon the fire, which by this time had made considerable progress. The other steam engine had in the moan tima been attached to the tank in Tuam street. Fortunately all the adjoining buildings were built of brick with slate roofs, and the efforts of the brigade were concentrated upon the building on fire. The men worked with such a will, andjwere so well directed, that, the supply of water being quite equal to the demand, their efforts were soon crowned with success, and in about half-an-hour from the time when the engines began to play the fire was completely under coutrol. Too much praise cannot be given to the firemen who, mounted on ladders and on the roof of an adjoining building, carried the hose almost into the very midst of the fire, although at much risk of injury from the falling debris, and being exposed to the possibility, which did not seem very remote, of a largo mass of machinery, tanks, vats, Ac. coming crashing down upon them. It was fortunate they ware able to make such good progress as they did, for the supply of water diminished very materially just after the critical stage had been passed. The police, assisted by a number of volunteers in uniform, kept the crowd from interfering with the (operations of the brigade, and in this respect everything went smoothly. Nothing definite has transpired with regard to the origin of the fire, but it is surmised that (it may have arisen from the chimney connected with the steam engine, being in a heated condition, having ignited the roof. The whole of the contents of the building, consisting of all the machinery and apparatus used in carrying on the brewing, were almost totally destroyed, but no injury was done to the other portions of the establishment. We understand that the property was fully insured in the National office, but though the direct loss may he covered, Messrs Vincent and Co. will of coarse suffer very considerably through the compulsory suspension of business which will result from the destruction of their plant.