The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-08 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE FIRES.

DESTRUCTION OF GRANGE-HOUSE, BERMONDSEY.
Friday night, between the hours of nine and ten, a fire of a
very alarming and destructive character broke out in the
premises known as Grange-house, situated in the Grange-
road, Bermondsey, the property of Mr. Owen. The building
was very extensive, having a frontage of nearly 50 feet, Sur
a proportionate depth. At the time the flames burst forth
Mr. Owen, with his family and servants were up, and em-
ployed in different parts of the premises; but such was the
rapidity with which the fire spread, that they had not suffi-
cient time to make their escape down the staircases. Fortu-
nately several persons were quickly at the scene, and having
procured ladders, Mrs. Owen was dragged through one of the
windows, and lowered into the garden. The rest of the in-
mates were also rescued, and without receiving any personal
injury. The parish engine, with several others belonging te.
the London Brigade, were remarkably quick in arriving, as
was also one belonging to the West of England Company,
Water was soon obtained, and the engines were set to viol-it,
but so fiercely did the flames extend that they for sow time
defied the utmost exertions of the firemen, and room after
room fell a sacrifice to the most destructive of all elements,
and when the roof fell in the flames rose to an immense alti-
tude. Towards half-past-ten, owing principally to the ex-
haustion of all combustible material, the firemen got the
complete mastery of the conflagration, 'it not before the
premises were a mass of ruins, and the, valuable stock of
furniture, &c., either consumed or rendered worthless by the
action of the fire.

SERIOUS FIRE 1 WIIITECHAPEL.
Scarcely had the firemen succeeded in extinguishing the
disastrous fire in Bermondsey, than intelligence was received&
of another conflagration having broken out in Whitechapet
Thither several of the Brigade and West of England en-
gines were despatched, when it was ascertained that the.
upper part of the spacious range of premisevtelonging to
Mr. Fryett, pawnbroker, carrying on business at No. 16,
Whitechapel-road, immediately opposite the church was in
flames. The fire originated in the stores, amongst a valuable
assortment of pledges. The parish engine was on the spot in,
the course of a few minutes ; but .the crowd was so great,
that some time elapsed beforf., It could be got into operatiot4
during which the fire cor:
ing to the floor abov, anued to burn most fiercely, ascend-
", and at the same time descending to
the One below. T:ne hose of the Brigade engines view car-
ried up the t--::,;ircase, and that of the West of England Oom-
pany was directed through the windows, and by that means
the tremen were enabled to pour a vast torrent of water
17.p0n that part of the premises on fire, which extinguished
the flames by half-past eleven o'clock. The damage done at,
this fire is very considerable. To add to the misfortune, wA-
merous poor families residing in the locality will be deprived
of the property left in the pharge of Mr. Fryett. The origin
of :the fire, like the preceding one, is unknown. A strong
body of police of the H division were on the spot, and ren-
dered essential service, in keeping the immense crowd out of
the reach of danger, and in guarding the
property of the in—
habitants.

• CITY' IMPROVEMENTS.—The hoarding at the sm.,
minus of the extensive street from Farringdon-stref it to
Clerkenwell has been removed several yards backwards,
by
which eight houses which have been erected and are, fit for
occupation arc opened to view. They are erected in the best
style of street architecture, and as the whole of the r.iew
street
will be built uniformly, this will when complete be equal to any
in the metropolis. The opening of the new street.:prlrSents a
fine bold circus, the width of Farringdon-street. j _.lO steps
have yet been taken for the clearance of the house , bet
tares West-street and Clerkenwell, and this is one of the, '<ow tardy-
,of goz of the improvements now in progress in tttirciotropolla.

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