Star.
London, England, 1827-08-16 00:00:00

ALARMING AND DESTIWCTIVE

About half-past eleven o'clock last night, the warehr
man placed in Cripplegate-buildings, Fore-street, Crip.
plegate, ors passing the house cf Messrs. Skinner, exten-
sive oil and colourmen, situate at No. 3, as above,
obseiVed a strong body of smoke just issuing from the
area of Messrs. Skinner's cellar. On approaching nearer
he found that flames were brhind, and instantly alarm•
ed the inmates, consising of the brother of Mr. Skinner,
his wife and three childrea, who happily made their
escape without injury, but securing nothing but the
dre.ses they wore. So rapidly did the flames ascend,
that in less than ten minutes the whole house was in a
blaze. The devouring element soon communicated to
the extensive premises of Messrs. Tyler, next door, and
at the corner of Hart-street ; thence progressing up Hart-
street, damaging the front of No. 63, Wood-street, No.
8, Hart-street, the roof of the house of Mr. Webb, the
baker, the livery stables opposite the alms-houses,
founded in 1601 by Robert Rogers, for six poor freemen
and six poor women, 1, if they had not the care of chil-
dren." By this time the back of Mess-rs. Banners, plumbers,
in Cripplegate-buildings, on the north side of the house
of Messrs. Skinner, also caught fire, and thus all efforts
were rendered abortive, as the firemen ran the most im-
minent risk of their lives in the exertions they made to
work ;heir engines, which sere well supplied with water
By half-past twelve o'clock, the flames were perceivable
fur many miles round, and the bridges were completely
illnmiaated. About half-past one, two of the firemen
belonging to the Alliance and the Phenix Fire Offices,
narrowly escaped with their lives, by the falling of a
wall. The man belonging to the latter was considerably
hurt, but the one belonging to the Alliance, though
several bricks fell around him, by the force t f which
he was knocked down, received no serious injury. The
wall in question was one attached to the back of Messrs.
Tyler's premises, and in its descent carried with it a part
of one of the alms-houses, two of which were now on
fire; but owing to the exertions of the firemen, the flames
were stopped. The engines were then brought to bear
on the burning pile by means of carrying the pipes into
Cripplegate Churchyard, but still their exertions were
vain, so fiercely did the flames increase, some idea of
which may be formed when we state that there was
not an inch of the largest timbers in Mr. Skinner's house
but was burned completely to charcoal remains.—
Between five and six o'clock, a stack of chimnies,
and part of the back walls fell in, shaking those
that remained to their very base. About an hour
after another portion fell in with similar effects, and
it now became necessary to keep the people, who
still remained in considerable numbers, out of danger.
By eight o'clock the fire had completely burnt itself out.
The cause of the calamity is said to have been, that
after the shop had been closed some of the workmen
had gone down into the cellar with a light and must
have dropped a spark, which having caught some straw
or other material, had mouldered until it became com-
pletely ignited with some carboys (tar barrels), and
at the moment it was discovered, burst forth as
before described. Shortly before the first wall fell
in two or three explosions took place, as if occa-
sioned by gunpowder, and an idea prevailing that
there was a large quantity on the premises, kept the
greater portion of the mob away. The principal part
of the property destroyed was insured in the Protector,
the Sun, and Royal Exchange. We regret to state, that
a great number of workmen who were in the employ of
Messrs. Tyler are left totally destitute of employment
for the time. It is consoling to state, that no lives were
lost, nor could we trace any other casualty than that
above stated. The consternation spread in Whitecross.
street Prison, nearly adjoining, may be conceived, but
cannot be described. The prisoners were at length as-
sured of their safety ; and although the flames and
flakes of Ere fell and passed over their beads, they be-
came reconciled.