The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-27 00:00:00

judiciously had the various vehicles removed into
the grand carriage entrance of the Royal Italian
Opera•house, Covent-garden. The roadway having
by that means been cleared, the engines were
allowed sufficient space to tear along with their
usual rapid speed.-
Before five o'clock the whole of Mr. Kesterton's
premises, including even the basement, used as the
smithy, might be said to be enveloped in one tre-
mendous sheet of flame ; in fact, it would not be
exaggeration to state that up to that time a greater
body of fire has not been witnessed for years at a
London fire, but it suddenly became twice as great,
for the destroying clement lapped over St. Martin's
Hall, ignited the roof, and at the same time entered
several of the windows. It then became apparent
to all present that unless the fire could be cut off
in that direction the spacious hall would quickly
be consumed, and in all probability many of the
houses in front in Long-acre.
Mr. Braidwood therefore gave directions to Mr.
Gerrard, the man in command of Shand and
Mason's steam-engine, to scatter the water over
that popular place of resort ; but the fire had taken
so firm a hold, that powerful as the machine was,
and its distributing four immense jets of water, the
only good it could do was to save from destruction
about a dozen houses in Long-acre, Hanover street,
and Wilson-street, but the Hall itself and the fac-
tory continued to blaze away for hours. At one
period the light in the atmosphere was so great
that even the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, West-
minster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the West-
end and City church steeples were brilliantly illu-
minated, and the architectural portions brought
ought in grand relief.
Every one who was aroused from his slumbers
looked upon the conflagration with fear and est°•
nishment, for each building being over 80 feet high,
the fire could be seen as it rushed through the roof,
so we are informed by one of the Eastern Counties
Railway guards, as far distant as Colchester.
Capt. Harris, the Assistant-Commissioner of Me-
tropolitan Police, upon being apprised of the out-
break and the fearful aspect the fire quickly
assumed, hastened from Whitehall to assist the
Superintendent of the F division of police, and
owing to the dangerous' state of the walls they had•
the streets barricaded, so as to prevent the public
from passing along, and thereby their lives were
not placed in jeopardy.
Between the hours of five and six o'clock the
various floors of the factory and the roof of the
same, as well as the roof of St. Martin's-hall and
the different tiers of seats, fell with a fearful crash,
just at the instant that Mr. Gerrard was allowing
the steam to blow off from the engine. A scene of
great excitement then ensued—many persons com-
menced running in various directions, they imagin-
ing that the beautiful and effective pie ce.of machinery
had " blown up." Such, we are happy to state, was
not the case, and as long as a sufficiency of water
can be procured to feed it, it can do the work of
four other engines, and save the expense of employ-
ing on those four engines not fewer than 112 hired
auxiliaries. The saving to the different insurance
offices forming the brigade must be, therefore,
considerable in a year. This machine was the means
principally of saving the private dwelling-house of
Mr. Hullah, who at present is in Paris, and his lady
escaped without the least injury. The fearful fire
continued to rage throughout the day, and was not
entirely extinguished at six o'clock last evening.
At one time, whilst the fire was at its height, and
whilst two firemen of the Brigade: named Cunning-
ham and Pardue, were at work, the flames actually
melted the front iron shutters and the lead on the
interior of the coach factory and the hall, and ran
down in a molten state, like streams of glittering
silver, and falling down the back of the last-named
fireman, so seriously burned him that Mr. Braid-
wood, with his usual kindness, ordered him to leave
off work and sent him to the hospital.
The damage done by this disastrous event is very
serious, and will be best understood by the follow-
ing official report, furnished by Mr. Braidwood
:
OFFICIAL REPORT OF DAMAGE. •
Sunday, Aug. 26, 1860.—Called to a fire in the
premises belonging to Mr. Kesterton, coach and
carriage builder to the Queen, situate at Nos. 93
and 94, Long-acre, but extending round Hanover-
street; The premises and the contents, except the
goods on the ground-floor warehouses, destroyed.
Insured in the Royal Exchange and Sun Fire-
offices.
St. Martin's Hall.—The staircases and dwelling
severely damaged by fire, and most of roof off. The
upper floors of hall consumed, and the lower floors
partially destroyed by fire or damaged by water. ,
Building and contents insured in the Sun Fire-office.
No. 91, Mr. J. Pringle, Licensed Victualler, and
Proprietor of the George and Dragon Tavern.
Back front of his premises damaged by fire and the
roof burned, and the other part of the establish-
ment severely injured by water. This loss will fall
upon the Sun Fire-office.
No. 90, Hanover-street, Mrs. J. Gonnings, To-
bacconist.—Part of roof burnt off, and contents
damaged by fire, water, and removal. The con-
tents are insured in the Phoenix Fire-office.
No. 89, in the same street, Mr. A. Hall, Hosier.
—Similar damage to building, and contents insured
in the Sun Fire-office.
No. 88, ditto, Messrs. Steers and Co, Pianoforte-
makers.—lnsured in' the County Fire-office. The
premises and the contents seriously damaged by fire.
No. 87, in the same street, Mr. James Stenningt
Confectioner.—Back front of the private dwelling'
houses severely damaged by fire and water. In-
sured in the Royal Exchange Fire-office.
No. 26, ditto, Mr. William Alldis, Eating-house
keeper.—Back warehouses and contents damaged by
fire and water, and hasty removal.
No. 89, Mr. Hall, Mr. Boleno:(the clown), and
Mr. Bile have also had their property severely
damaged by the action of the fire.
Messrs. Hall and Co., also carriage builders, have
also sustained great injury by fire and water.
The Enterprise Hotel has also been seriously
damaged by fire,and water. Insurance not known
at present.
A gentleman named Buckman had a machine
which, by turning the back to the fire, he was
enabl'ed to see where the flames were raging with-
out the least fear of being blinded with the heated ,
smoke.