The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-03 00:00:00

DREADFUL FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE,

Yesterday morning between 4 and 6 o'clock a
mounted police officer arrived at the London fire-
engine stations with intelligence that a fire was
raging in the parish of Putney. Mr. Henderson, the
chief officer of the 1:0 district, at once ordered his
engines to be got ready. Upon reaching the Upper
Richmond-road he found the premises belonging to
Mr. J. T. Mitchell, a boot and shoe maker, in flames.
The parish engine which had previously arrived
had prevented the flames from reaching several
other buildings. Upon the police discovering the
fire they raised an alarm, and, after repeatedly
knocking at the door, they managed to arouse the
inmates, who upon jumping out of bed found the
flooring so hot as to nearly take the skin off their
feet. Fortunately, with one exception, they managed
by some means to get out of the house, out nearly
suffocated with the heated smoke in making their
exit down the stairs. It was not until an advanced
hour that the conflagration could be extinguished,
and not until Mr. Mitchell's premises and the stock
in trade, with the furniture and other effects, were
destroyed. The two upper floors and roof of the
premises belonging to Mr. Wm. Smith, No. 2, are
are burnt out; the attics and roof of No. 3, belong-
ing to Mr. W. Chant, painter and glazier, have also
been consumed. The premises of Mr. F. Churley,
No. 4, are also greatly damaged. After the ruins
were sufficiently cooled to allow of a search being
made, the firemen entered and found the body of a
boy, aged 15, burnt in a shocking manner; life
being of course extinct. As to the origin of the cala-
mitous event, not the least information could be ob
tained. Mr. Mitchell was insured in the General
Fire-office ; Mr. Smith was not insured; Mr. Chant,
the painter, and also Mr. F. Churley, were unin-
sured. A strong body of the V division of police, at-
tended and kept the crowd out of the way of the
firemen. About half-past 4 o'clock yesterday morn-
ing another fire broke out in the premises belonging
to Mr. R. Offord, cabinetmaker, No. 1, Graham-
street, City-road. The discovery was made by a
police constable of the N division. The parish en-
gines, the Royal Society's fire escapes, and the
engines of the London brigade were shortly in
attendance, but the building in which the disaster
commenced was burnt down and the contents
consumed. Mr. Offord was insured in the Unity
Fire-office. Another fire happened in the premises
belonging to Mr. H. Middleton, a chymist and
druggist, No. 81, Church-lane, Whitechapel. It
was also discovered by an officer of the H division
of police. He aroused the inmates, who all ma-
naged to escape in safety, with the excep-
tion of a Mr. Middleton. He made his appear.
ance at the second floor window, crying loudly for
help. The engines of the London brigade promptly
attended, when Maidman, the engineer, made an
attempt to reach him by means of ladders, but they
being too short he was unable to do so. He was so
much affected with smoke as to loose his voice.
At that critical juncture Samuel Wood, the veteran
conductor of the Royal Society, arrived with the
Whitechapel escape, be ascended and brought down
3 in safety the imperilled man, amid the there of the