The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-07-06 00:00:00

DISASTROUS FIRE, ON SUNDAY, AT
KIDDERMINSTER.
--
£35,000 DAMAGE.

One 01 the Most deatructive fires known in Kidder-
mino er occurred on Sunday morning last, on the. pre-
mises et Messrs. John Brieton and Co., carpet manufac-
faciurers and wOrsted soinners in that town. TI,-
greatest psrt of the havoc was in the. wool warehouse, an
ext naive tessestorey buildirg,etery fleor of which was
filled with cool, and no inconsiiterable mischief was also
done in the A and B sheds, which adjoin it, one being
devoted to worsted speiniug and the other to carpet.
weaving. The fire was discovered about a quarter-past
five in the morning by two workmen named Hopkins
and Coope, wlo same to do some necessary work on the
les mises. They entered by the Sling gate, an up to
that time the watchman, William Tee. hid isot no iced
anything amiss. there was a glare, however, through
the first floor windows of the wool warehouse, and
a'tenton once drawn to it there was no time lost in
raising an alarm. Henry Price. the porter at the Ex-
cersege Sure I. end. uf the premi,es, tan down the yard
and tree ' te get into the piece to save the books, but
wet nriVen back oy the fire. The bell at the works was
set going, ano as soon as the alarm reached the police.
station, the fire-gong was sounded. Messrs. Brinton
have excellent appliances for suce an emergency as fire,
and steam was got up very speedily by their engine,
led the fire-hose beseed on. By ha f-past five water was
peling into the burning building but the mass ef lone
grew brieleer arid streeger, and floor after fleor was
s'izeit by the raging element. The baseneht was an
exceptioo, fjr t,ece tile fireproof ft or pretecied a large
amount of property. The Corporation steam fire-engine
had been brougut down to the sceue of the fire, and the
ordinary pumping engines were also brought, while, as
-h-• news of Lite Outbreak spread, a number of maltase
tore a sent their hese. At Mr. ea's spinning mill,
wi,..re the watceman discovssr,-d the lire at about the
ame time as the intn above named, steam was got up,
and a strew, stream ef water was thrown towards the
ng we, eho Ise. The on ene was dangerously near
oert of Mr. Lee's premises. and much anxiety was fee
eit they should be fired. The fire, however, did not
r licit them. though at case time nearly seventy wiudows
kit g .owards Mr Lea's mill were bellowing out flaw,
• np yard rush of the fire was a striking sight, and
-huseeseds of people were occupying every point wheecu
co fl o ti .0 e led he seen. On Messrs Briuten's
premises their workp. °pie and others had gathered it.
.s.ee Aimee-re aed everyteing possible was done to cep -
viol the fire. Uefortuneteey tue Corporstioa steam ti
engine became unserviceable soon after seven by she
breeklug of a valvs, aid by some strange neglect M.
C reb,r, the cepelu of the brigade, s as not informed ef
t e tire till the eoree of it was .early over. But for tie
good service dont, by Messrs. Brion's c n•
t:,10t1 with which seven sets of hose playeu en the
tire, it ne.st have extended far into other parts of their
w ri.s To, wool warehouse coted Do", be saved, eret
tees as the building and its conteuts represent is ah .ut
e30,e110, The worsted shed and carpet will before
mentioue3 are greatly damaged, partly by the fire anO
partly by breakage from falling masonry. The losS here
is perhaps some £5,000 or £6,000 more. The worst if
the fire was over by nine o'clock, but the fire hose hid
io les frequently need during the day. Steam was to be
keit up all Sunday niger, aud a body of nren retained
in toe premises, in case of futeher ou-.break. The sal-
Tree of wool is considerable in quantity. hot it is so
damaged that its value is cornparativ ly small. The fire
began at or near the wool office, on the first floor, Mr
how it originated is not known. It has been said in he
town that the fire must have been caused by the spon-
taneous ignition of some of the wool owing to the hot
weather, but so far as we can learn wool has never been
known to fire in this way. Messrs. eirintou's business
will be Inconvenienced for a time by the fire, and a
•umber of workeeople will be thrown out of employ,
every effsrt will be made to reinstate the machinery
as on as possible, but the restoration of the building*
must necessarily take much time The damage is
c ,vered by insurances in the Imp trial and County Fire
Offices.