The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-24 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE CONFLAGRATION.

[A brief account of the fAiowing appeared in our
Fourth Edition of lust night.]
Yesterday afternoon one of the most t vens:vely de-
structive fires which has occurred in Or erouni London
for many years past tofA,. plate in the borough of South-
wark. Four imm=ense hop warehouses were uttf rly de-
etroyed, and a fifth so much burnt and injured as to
render it uoubttul whether its entire demolition will not
be roqc.iaid..,

The buildings referred to were five large warehouses
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houses is about 450 feet by 80 or 90 feet in depth, and
each contained six floors, besides extensive cellars. The
conflagration commenced in the warehouse nearest the
bridge-foot and adjoining the Bridge-house Hotel. This
building was let to three different persons—Mr, Dresser,
a cheese merchant, renting the cellars; Messrs. Hollings-
worth, paper-makers, of Maidstone, rented the three
first flours, which were used as repositories for white
rags; and Mr. Wigan, a hop merchant, who suffered so
severely in a fire which occurred a few months since not
100 yards from the spot, occupied the two top floors.
About half-past three iu the afternoon some persons
engaged near the spot observed a body of flame to shoot
from two windows in the basement story, apparently
coming from the stoclsof Messrs. Hollingsworth. They
instantly raised an alarm, and dispatched messengers for
the assistance of the fire brigade. The flames, however,
spread with unaccountable rapidity, and in less than
twenty minutes they had ascended the staircase and dif-
fused themselves throughout every part of the building
—every aperture in which shot forth immense volumes
of fire. These ascended over the roof to such a height
as to render them visible from almost any part of the
metropolis. The engines summoned were quickly on
the spot, while the more distant stations were alarmed
by the fire itself. The bridges on the Thames became
rapidly crowded with spectators, while an immense
number ran to the scene of mischief. For several mi-
nutes after the arrival of the engines some difficulty was
experienced in procuring a proper supply of water, and
by the time they succeeded in getting into operation it
became evident that any chance of saving the burning
building was totally out of the question. The firemen,
under the direction of Mr. Braidwood, now confined their
attention to the safety of the Bridge-house Hotel and the
warehouse adjoining, both of which were in imminent dan-
ger. The scene which presented itself was fearfully grand.
The flames rose in eddying volumes to an immense height,
diffusing an intense heat around, and threatening the
warehouses adjoining Hibernia-chambers in front; while
the pinnacles of St. Saviour's and the windows in the
northern end of the aisle cracked and flew in all direc-
tions. While the most strenuous exertions were being
made to subdue this body of flame a gust of wind drove
the huge volume over the roofs of the warehouses ad-
joining, the party walls of which proved sufficiently
solid to resist the intense heat. The mischief was fore-
seen, but no means of preventing it existed; the fire
spread rapidly along the roofs and increased the body of
flame to such an extent that the church was in imminent
danger. Under the directions of Mr. Braidwood the
hose of several engines was hauled up to the roofs, and
although the firemen were scarcely able to endure the
intense heat, they remained playing on the burning mass,
and retreated foot by foot as its encroachments rendered
a retreat necessary. Window after window became
reddened with the conflagration, which spread itself
downwards from the roof of the second warehouse, de-
etroying two more floors of hops belonging to Mr. Wigan,
and Sour belonging to Messrs. Kitchen and Thornton.
The owners of goods in the adjoining warehouses,
ularmed at the serious appearance of the fire, and its ra-
pid regress, determined to remove their property, and
accordingly, a considerable number of hop pockets, the
property of Messrs. Humble and Son, in the third ware-
house, were carted away. A considerable portion of
the stock of Messrs. Allan and Anderson, who occupied
the basement story of the second warehouse, was also
caved before the fire reached it, although it was acme-
what damaged with water.
'the utmost exertions were then made to save the
body of the third warehouse from ignition, as it was
evident that if this caught the whole rango must be sa-
crificed. The roof of the first warehouse having fallen
in, leaving no hope of saving any of the property con-
tained, except the stock in the cellars, the jets from the
West of England brigade engines, with those of the
two floating engines, were brought to bear upon Nos. 2
and 3, and in a short time the flames had slightly abated,
rendering a nearer approach practicable. No time was
lost in improving the advantage, and by the most unre-
mitting labour the fire was so far subdued that all dan-
ger of its extending further seemed at an end by eight
o'clock. A short time after eight o'clock, however, in
spite of the continuous play of the engines, the flames,
stimulated by a slight rise in the wind, and by having
reached some inflammable goods in one of the
floors, again rose. Their spread was again most rapid.
In a very brief space the third warehouse was on fire,
from the basement story up, and the fire, gliding over
the roof of the fourth warehouse, ignite.' the fifth,
which was also speedily in flames. The sight which
now presented itself was such as is, fortu-
nately, seldom witnessed. The huge block of
burning houses—red hot from the intensity of the fire,
and shooting forth flame and sparks like a volcano—
might be seen front any elevated spot in the city and the
bridges, which were crowded to the utmost. The Bo-
rough market was so thronged as to be impassable, the
people being in momentary expectation of seeing St.
Saviour's Church ignite. The fire shone through the
windows with such brilliancy as to give rise to several
reports that the sacred edifice was on fire, and the sight
of men actively passing buckets from hand to hand into
the interior strengthed the supposition. Nothing could
exceed the alarm which prevailed; the safety of distant
as well as proximate buildings was threatened by the
immense flakes driven off, while those whose goods were
at all exposed hastened to secure them from the risk of
burning, or the scarcely less imminent risk of having
them stolen by the gangs of thieves who are never idle
on such occasions. The fourth warehouse several times
caught fire and was often extinguished, and up to 12
o'clock it withstood the flames around it. After that

time it was gradually damaged by the intense heat com-
municated through the party walls; but the contents
having bean removed by 11 o'clock, the fire found little
or nothing to quad it further. The fire remained
burning all night, and was easily visible from a distance.
We are happy to state that St. Saviour's Church, though
somewhat damaged, has sustained no serious injury.
Alderman Humphery, to whom the premises belonged,
was ort the spot as soon as possiblo after the outbreak,
and directed some of the operations of the firemen. He
is insured in the Sun and Union offices to the full ex-
tent of the value of the buildings. The lose is estimated
at nearly 200,0001. No cause can be assigned for the
conflagration, as it was stated that the stock of rags was
perfeetiy dry, and would not, therefore, be likely •to
ignite spontaneously. It is not considered probable that
it was the result of carelessness, as the persona em-
ployed on the premises would not require candles so
ear .y in the afternoon. Upon the first alarm the flames
seemed to come from the direction of the foot of the
staircase.

As soon as Messrs. Barclay and Perkins were in-
formed of the conflagration which was raging in the
neighbourhood they offered to send all their hands to
assist in extinguishing it or removing property. The
offer, however, was not accepted, as there was a eufli•
thent body of police on the gr6und to do whatever was
required. _ _

The scaffolding in front of the warehouses now erect-
ing along the river side became so heated that it was
deemed necessary to send up men with tackle to draw
up buckets of water to cool it. The water so thrown
down fell upon the men working the engines beneath,
who after remonstrating several times persuaded a fire-
man, who was also dretfthed to the bkin, to direct his

jet upon those above. This led to somo very curry
word:, and 3t length matters were adjusted by the hose
of two engines being drawn up and directed so as to pre-
vent any risk to the buildings.
The greatest credit is due to the police for their effi-
cient conduct on the occasion, and also for their for-
bearance, although their patience was sorely tried by
the pressing forward of (-lger crowds into situations of
danger.

LATEST PARTICULARS.—(Two O'CLOCK )
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE LOSSES.
The brigade still hold safe possession of No. 3 ware-
house, and are employed on the roof discharging the
water from some four or five engines, Eeluoing the
floating engines, on to the flaming ruins of each side, and
there seems every expectation that they will succeed in
their purpose. The tire, however, still continues to rage,
and is likely to do so for some hours yet. Undoubtedly,
it is the largest fire that has happened in the metro-
polis for a great number of years.
One of the chief officers has, during the last hour,
been engaged collecting a list of the sufferers and the
property destroyed. Its contents, which we subjoin,
will convey some idea of the fearful character of the
conflagration:----
No. 1 warehouse, the property of Mr. Aldo ram
Humphery, M.P., totally destroyed. It was occupied
as stores and warehouse-room by the undermentioned
persons:—Cellars, by Mr. Hewett, American provision
merchant; basement stores, by Mr. Dresser, cheese-
factor; first, second, and third floors, by Mr. Hollings-
worth, piper manufacturer, of Turkey-mills, near
Maidstone; and the remaining floors by Messrs.
Wigan end Co., hop factors, of High-street, 13o-
rough. The merchants were partly insured in itieveral
offices.
No. 2 warehouse, belonging to Mr. Alderman Hum-
phery, destroyed. It was divided into six stores; four
of them were rented by Messrs. Kitchen and Thornton,
merchants, and the remaining by Messrs. Wigan and
Co., the hop merchants, insured.
No. 4 warehouse, also the property of Mr. Alderman
Humphery, totally destroyed. The whole of the stores
were rented by Messrs. Wigan and Co., the hop factors.
The firm we are informed had nearly 20,000 pockets of
hops in this warehouse. The whole is destroyed, value
of each poclnt averages from 121. to 151.
The Bridge-house Hotel, the portion adjacent to No
1 'warehouse, injured by breakage and water, insured.
Six almshouses in the rear damaged by fire and water,
occupants uninsured.
St. Saviour's Church roof damaged by fire. The in-
terior damaged by water. The edifice is insured.
'eeeeral wharfs fronting Alderman Humphery'e
ware-
house severely scorched and their contents damaged by
water.
Ilespecting the amount of insurances effycted on the
property very little information could be Elicited. The
warehouses of alr. Humphory (which were only erected