The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-19 00:00:00

GREAT FIRE IN SOUTH LONDONi
EXCITING SCENES.

A serious fire broke out early on Monday morning
in a boiler-house on the premises of Mr. Draper, fire-
wood dealer, of Wellington-road, near the Albert-
bridge, Battersea. Fanned by the wind, the flames
rapidly gained on the main portion of the building,
and ultimately extended to the yard, in which the
wood was piled up in racks, For half an hour or more
the flames raged without check, as, owing to the t.ele-
phone being out of order, aid could only be obtained
by means of a mounted messenger, and to the con-
sequent delay is due much destruction which might
doubtless have been prevented. When the first fire-
engine, that stationed at Battersea, arrived the fire
had gained a firm hold of the timber, and the engines
which arrived in succession from the southern and
western suburbs were used for hours without much
apparent effect. Abutting on Mr. Draper's premises are
the stables in which the Earl of Shot tesbury's cab-horses
—about 300 in number—are kept. Soon after the alarm
had been given the stablemen, fearing that the flames
might spread to the stable, loosed the horses from
their stalls, and they ran out into the streets. About
ICO of them, becoming frightened at the noide of the
engines at work and the shouts of the crowd, im-
mediately stampeded the streets in groups of from 12
to 20, running wildly in all directions. Some of them
were captured by the police and railway men, and
lodged in the police-yard and adjacent livery stables.
One horse on being liberated came into violent
collision with a van standing outside the gates of the
yard, and immediately chopped to the ground. It
was found that its back was broken and it was
slaughtered. The fire burned fiercely until nearly
eight o'clock, when it was partially subdued. The
whole of Mr. Draper's stock of timber was burned or
rendered useless, and the greater part of a brick build-
ing, together with some machinery and implements,
was destroyed. During the earlier part of the fire
the illumination could be seen for miles round, and
enormous crowds assembled. Panic prevailed for a
time in the neighbourhood, and people living in
close proximity to the burning premises began
to remove their goods for safety. The fire was still
burning- on Monday afternoon, and during the
morning some narrow escapes occurred, About noon,
the wind having dropped, dense clouds of smoke hung
over the neighbourhood. The many thousands of
persons congregated near the spot and on the tem-
porary wooden bridge close by were almost without
any warning enveloped in the black smoke, and a
great rush was made from the bridge, the people fear-
ing that they would be suffocated. Many elderly
persons and young children were somewhat badly
crushed. About noon a large corner of the stack
nearest to the river fell, sending the sparks high into
the air; and if the wind had been blowing at that
moment in the opposite direction the consequences
must have been appalling, as almost next door are
large oil works, which were themselves the scene of a
conflagration a short time since. The damage is
estimated at £16,000, which is covered by insurance
to the extent of about £lO,OOO.
The official report of the fire thus describes the
damage: Called at 3.25 a.m. to Draper's Wharf,
Wellington-road, Battersea; J. Draper, firewood
n:erchant ; landlord, J. Hazel, 195, Buckingham
Palace-road. Cause unknown. Contents and build-
ing insured in the Guardian, Phcenix, and others.
Damage: A building of two floors, about 165 ft. by
30ft., used as engine and boiler-house, chopping-
rooms, and stores, and contents burnt out, and roof
destroyed; two stacks of firewood, one about 100 ft.
by 80ft. by 60ft. high, and the other about 80ft. by
80ft. by 48ft. high, and stock in yard partially de-
stroyed: stables and dwelling adjoining and contents
damaged by smoke and water; the fire is still burn-
ing. Wellington-road, ditto, the Earl of Shrewsbury
and Talbot, cab proprietors, landlord also; roofs of
stables and coach-houses damaged by fire and contents
by removal. Ditto, ditto, T. Bowley and Son, petro-
leum merchants; about 12ft. of corrugated iron fence,
damaged by breakage. 44, Eccles-street, ditto, W.
Co, greengrocer, roof of stable damaged by breakage,
and ground-floor of dwelling-house and contents by
water."