TROOPS SENT FOR

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13928, 11 June 1909, Page 4

TROOPS SENT FOR

Soon all the sheds scattered over the vast area, and forming the oil depot. were likewise on fire, together with a lot of tar and other inflammable material. The fire brigades of St. Oven, St. Denis, Clignancourt and Montmartre were early on the scene with their engines, and the big pumps of the Northern Railway supplied any quantity of water, but it was, of course, impossible to do more than circumscribe the ravages of the fire. Close to the depot is an electric power station, and a little farther removed are the sheds of the Wagons-Lits Compain . The firemen had great difficulty m preserving these buildings, but thoy succeeded at last. All the window panes in the electric power house broke from the heat. From the very first an immense crowd gathered near the fire, and' the police found it impossible to keep order. It was feared that at any moment the petroleum stored m the basements might cause an explosion and the loss of hundreds of livos. Troops were therefore sent for, ami a detachment of the regiment stationed at St. Denjs finally arrived, and helped the police to keep the crowd back at a safe distance.