The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-06 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE FIRES.

DESTRUCTION OF GRANGE-lIOUSE, BERMONDSEY.
Last 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 build
was very extensive, having a frontage of nearly 50 feet, ard
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 sprgad, that they had not suffi-
cient time to make their escape down the staircases. Fortu-
nately several persons were quickly at the scene, and haring
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 to
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 work,
but so fiercely did the flames extend that they for sow time
defied the utmost exertions of the firemen, and roam 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, but 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 Ir WIIITECHAPEL.
Scarcely had the firemen succeeded in extinguishing the
disastrous fire in Bermondsey, than intelligence was received
of another conflagration having broken out in Whit:chapel.
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 premises, belonging to
Mr. h ryett, pawnbroker, earryang 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 before it could be got into operation,
during which the fire continued to burn most fiercly, ascend-
ing to the floor above, and at [the same time descending .to
the one below. The hose of the Brigade engines war car-
ried up the staircase, and that of the West Qf England eom-
pany was directed through the windows, aild by that means
the firemen were enabled to pour a vast torrent of water
, upon that part of the premises on fire, which extinguiehed
the flames by half-past eleven o'clock. The damage done at
this fire is very considevble. To add to the misfortune, hu-
merous poor families residing in the locality will be deprived
of the property. left in the chime of Mr. Fryett. The ecigin
of:the fire, like the preceding one, is unknown. A. stlang
body of police of the 11 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 boarding at the ter-
minus of the extensive street from Farringdon-street to
Clerkenwell has been removed several yards backwards, by
which eight houses Which have been erected and are fit for
occupation are aliened to view. They are erected in the best
style of street architecture, and as the whole of the new street
will be built uniformly, this will when complete be equal to any
in the metropolis. The opening of the new street. presents a
fine bold circus, the width of Farringdon-street. No steps
have yet been taken for the clearance of the houses betaen
West-street and Clerkenwell, and this is one of the molt td-roly
of any of the improvements now in progress in the metropolig: