The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-17 00:00:00

THE DREADFUL EXPLOSION IN

BERMONDSEY.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
George Gerard, a fireman, residing a% 147, Tooley-
street, one of the fire-stations, was ordered to go on
duty at New Brook street, on Saturday last. About
half an hour after going there he had information
given him that two young children slept in the back
part of the front room on the first floor, which he
informed Mr. Henderson, his foreman, of. Wit-
ness in consequence proceeded to search the ruins, and
on some joists that were unconsumed he found the
body of a child quite naked; it appeared as if the
child had been sleeping on the floor, its entrails
were protruding. The body was very much
burnt, but the features were not destroyed. The
body was that of a male child about four years old.
Another body was then discovered by its aide,
about eighteen months old ; it was lying on its
back, and quite naked ; it appeared to have been
suffocated by smoke and burning. There was a
small portion of the bed and feathers left underneath
the children. The bodies were given by him into the
charge of the parish officers. The house was a four-
roomed house, and the roof in a great measure had
fallen in. The younger child was covered with
rubbish.
Henry William Larter, a boy twelve years of age
—Lived at No. 4, Brook-street, Bermondsey-road.
He resided there with his mother and aunt, and she
was the wife of Mr. W. Barling, firework and seal-
ing-wax maker. He carried on the business of
sealing-wax maker at No. 4, Brook-street, and occa-
sionally, when he had nothing to do in sealing-wax
making, he made fireworks there. He made his large
fireworks in the Westminster-road. He generally
made the firework cases at Brook-street, but they
were filled in the West-road. Was at Mr. Barling's
on Friday evening ; the family of Mr. Barling con-
sisted of himself, his wife, and eight children, all of
whom lived at home. They had one female servant
and a workman—the workman's name was George
Barlow, and he was about 40 years of age,
and a penmaker by trade. On Friday he
assisted Mr. Barling. Witness saw them em-
ployed in making fireworks and tying them up.
At about nine o'clock on Friday night last witness
returned from the Queen's Bench, where he had been
to see his father, and not finding his mother at home,
he went down to the front parlour belonging to his
uncle and aunt. At that time there were in the
room his uncle, aunt, cousins William and Charles,
and Mr. Barlow, Rhoda (the servant), and himself.
His cousin John and all the other children were then
in bed. Three of the children were in the back room
in bed, and the other two in the front room.
He had seen three of his cousins since, Alfred, Au-
gusta, and John. John and Thomas he had not
seen since. Witness was in his aunt's room for two
hours and a half before anything occurred. During
all that time all were at work except himself. Mr.l
Barling was tying crackers, and the others were
making squibs. The room was lighted by a naptha
lamp, suspended from the ceiling by an iron hook.
There was also a candle on the table without a shield,
and there was a fire in the room ; the lamp had
neither flap or shade to it. Witness did not feel any
fear. Witness and the servant girl left the room be-
fore anything, occurred, and proceeded up stairs,
where the girl struck a light with a lucifer, which
she threw on the ground and put her foot
on it. In the room Thomas and James Barling were
in bed. While witness was undressing to go to bed,
he heard an explosion of crackers. The girl who was
in the room with him jumped out of the window. At
this time the squibs and crackers were going off
in every direction, and the fire was coming up stairs.
Witness went to try to save the children, but could
not, and he got out of the front window. He saw the
house in flames, and had neither seen Barlow nor his
three cousins since. He said his cousin Charles made
his escape from the front door, and a policeman then
shut. it, thinking nobody was there. Witness saw his
cousin William and Barlow attempting to get out of
the front door, but they could not. When his cousin
Charles got out he asked witness about the children,
and when he told him they were up stairs he got a
lad&r and went in at the front room window, during
which time the stairs fell in, and he got out dread-
fully burnt. Witness believed that the four persons
who were dead were Barlow, and William, James,
and Thomas Barling. When witness was in his
aunt's room they all appeared very merry, because
they had got so much to do. Mr. Barling
was laughing, and said jokingly he thought
they were too merry to last, and that something
would happen. Witness believed that the occurrence
was the result of accident. He knew nothing of how
the accident took place, except what was told him by
his cousin Charles.
The CORONER said he could not receive evidence of
anything that had been told the witness by his cousin.
He thought it wr'uld, therefore, be advisable at this
stare of the proceedings to adjourn the inquest to a
future day, in order that they might await the result
of the illness of those who were in the hospital,
particularly Charles Barling, and see whether they
could not obtain his statement on oath.

The constable, in answer to the Coroner, stated
that he had made inquiries at the hospital,
and from the information he had re-
c-iv d thought that there was no probability
or Glades Balding recovering sufficiently to be ex-
aTnided before the expiration of two months. Mr.
Barling was much less injured, and probably might
be in a fit state to be examined in three or four weeks.
As to Mrs. Barling an ,l the girl, the sister of the hospi-
tal stated that if they went on favourably, they could
not leave the hospital for two or three months.
The CORONER observed that the inquiry was one
of the greatest importance. Four lives had been
lost, and it was necessary that the strictest inquiry
should take place as to the manner and cause of
death.
The inquiry was then adjourned to Tuesday, the
6th of November, at eleven o'clock.