The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-10 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Yesterday (Sunday) morning, shortly before one
o'clock, a fire of a very alarming character, and attended
with a destruction of several hundred pounds' worth of
property, broke out in the premises belonging to Messrs.
T. and M. Garner, japanners, carrying on an extensive
business in some of the arches under the London and
South-Eastern Railway. The arch in which the disaster
commenced was of vast extent, it having a frontage in
Bermondsey-street, and extending completely under the
permanent way of the railway as far as Maltby-street.
The place was fitted up for boiling oils, japans, &c. ;
also for a drying-house for seasoning table-covers, leather,
and other articles japanned on the premises. The stock
in trade being of such an easily ignitable character, the
flames spread with amazing rapidity, so that in the
course of a few minutes the stock of oils, turpentine,
and, indeed, everything else in the archway, pre-
sented a regular blaze ' • and for some time strong
fears were entertained that that portion of the line of
railway would be so injured by the heat as to be com-
pelled to be pulled down. A police-constable of the M
division, who was on duty in the neighbourhood, and
who was the first person to make the unwelcome disco-
very, without loss of time sounded an alarm in the usual
way, and then sent messengers in sundry directions to
call the fire-engines. With as little delay as possible,
the brigade engine from Tooley-street attended, followed
by that of the parish and others of the London establish-
ment from Southwark-bridge-road, Rotherhithe, Water-
loo-road, that of the West of England Office, and an-
other from Watling-street. The firemen, upon their
arrival, found that the flames had seized upon every-
thing of a combustible character within the premises,
and the flames were rushing from either side, and mount-
ing high above the parapet wall of the railway. Fortu-
nat3ly, no carriages were standing on that portion of the
line, for if there had been, they must have been severely
inured by the intense heat. The fire-plugs in the neigh-
bourhood have been drawn, a plentiful supply of water
was procured, and not a moment was lost in setting
the enginei to work. In spite, however, of the exer-
tions of the Brigade and West of England firemen, and
the torrents of water scattered over the flames, they
continued to rage, and for a long time appeared to defy
the labours of all present. The men, however, under
the direction of their superior officers, kept to their
work, and eventually they succeeded in getting the mas-
tery over the fearful element, but not until everything
in the archway in which the disaster commenced was
destroyed, and a slight damage done to the adjoining
archway belonging to the same firm, and used as a
storehouse for oil, &c.

The total loss will amount to several hundred pounds,
but fortunately the sufferers were insured in the North
of England Fire Office.
The origin of the fire is not precisely known, but there
is strong ground for supposing that it was caused from
a copper of japan boiling over.
A strong muster of the M division of police, under
Mr. Inspector Brandford, rendered great assistance to
the firemen by keeping a large crowd out of danger. So
dense was the fog, and so dalk the street leading to the
scene of continuation that the firemen had the greatest
difficulty in taking their engines to the spot. The same
premises were burned out some months since.