The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-09-05 00:00:00

GREAT FIRE IN LAMBETH.

About two o'clock on Saturday morning two police-
constables, while on dutynear Lambeth-walk, observed
flames issuing from the extensive timber yard of Mr.
T. Forman, 148, Kennington-road. They raised an
alarm, and Mr. Forman, who resides at Walcot House,
adjoining the yard, was soon on the scene. The yard
itself is about an acre in extent, and runs for sorat3
distance from the Kennington-road between Walnut-
tree-walk and Union-street, and a large number of
houses are built around it. Almost as soon as the
fire was discovered the main gates were forced open,
and three horses in the stables were rescued before
the dames reached that part of the building. Three
timber carriages were also removed by tue polico.
The first engine to arrive was that from Kennington,
under Superintendent Hamlyn. It was found that a
strong fire was raging in one of the enormous stacks
of timber, and a large number of houses were in
danger. The call was circulated by the fire brigade
authorities, and very shortly the engines from
Waterloo-road, Southwark, Tooley-street, Old Kent-
road, and Peckham had arrived. A good supply
of water was obtained, but the fire quickly spread to
the other two stacks of timber. By three o'clock other
engtaes arrived from Brixton, Clapham, Mile-end,
Scotland-yard, Chelsea, Sloane-square, and Deptford.
Eleven steamers, one stand-pipe, and two hydrants
were soon in full play, but the flames still spread,
and the inhabitants of the houses in Walnut-tree-
walk and Union-street began to remove their furni-
ture. Unfortunately, the fire proved still more dis-
astrous to the inhabitants of a row of about a dozen
houses running from Union-street along the back of
the timber yard. These houses, which contain only
four rooms each, are inhabited by very poor people,
who were warned by the police to leave as quickly as
possible. They did so, conveying with them what
little they could, and had scarcely left when the
whole buildings were enveloped in flames, the
majority of them being burnt completely out before
the progress cf the tire could be stopped. These
houses belonged to Mr. Sampeon, builder, of 162,
Kenningtcn-road. The flames also spread to a largo
house in Union-street, which was very severely
damaged. Shortly before three o'clock one of the
large stacks of timber. fell with a loud crash, and at 10
minutes past three another stack, about 80ft. high,
toppled over on another stack, and one of the firemen
had a narrow escape. As daylight dawned the place
was seen to be a complete wreck. The police, under
Superintendent Brandon and Inspector Walls, had
great difficulty in preventing the crowd from interfer-
ing with the work of the firemen. Nothing is at
present known respecting the cause of the fire. The
amount of damage is believed to be several thousand
pounds. The houses are said to be covered by in-
surance, but a large number of poor persons have been
rendered homeless. At nine o'clock it was reported
that all danger of the fire spreading was passed, but
several engines had to be kept at work during the
day. Mr. Forman's loss is covered by insurance in
the Commercial Union and London and Provincial,
while most of the other buildings destroyed are in-
sured in the London and County. In all about 20
houses have been more or less damaged by the fire.
They are situated in Union-street and Walnut-tree-
: