The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-02-13 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

An alarming fire, involving very serious loss, broke nut on
the premises occupied by Mr. Faulkner, of the Bath-row Brew-
ery, Birmingham, about two o'clock on Thursday morning last.
The premises consisted of two large malthouses, three stories
high, each twenty-four yards long by twelve wide, and were
erected some few years since by the proprietor, Mr, Watson, of
High-street. They are situated between Bath-row buildings
and Wheels 's-lane, the front part adjoining the Worcester
and Birmingham Canal. The upper rooms were rented by Mr.
Freer, seedinan' of Digbeth, and there were deposited in them
upwards of one hundred and twenty pockets of hops, and a large
quantity of beans, peas, clover seeds, and other kiuds of grain.
In the rooms below, occupied by Mr. Faulkner, there were
nearly nine thousand bushels of malt, a quantity of dried bar-
ley, and hops to the value of one thousand pounds. On Wed-
nesday evening the premises were locked up at eight o'clock as
usual, and everything appeared to be safe. Early in the follow-
ing morning, however, one of Mr. Faulkner's men, who had
received instructions to take some ale into the country, on en-
tering the yard perceived some indications Of fire, which led him
to investigate the cause. Having obtained the key of the malt-
house, he Opeaed the door; the lower room was then full of
smoke, and &eurrent of- air being admitted, the whole of the
interior became instantly one body•ot flame, which soon issued
from every part of the building. The man immediately gave
the alarm to Mr. Faulkner, who resides on the spot, and the
prompt :assistance of the neit;hbours was speedily procured.
l'he engines were sent for, and in half an hour the Birmingham,
Norwich, and parish engine's arrived, and, as soon as water
could be obtained, commenced playing upon the building in all
directions. The tire had by this time become so general that
but little hope was entertained of saving the malthouses; and
as the dames were spreading rakidly, and had communicated
with a long range of houses adjoining, it was considered neces-
sary that: every effort should be in:de to arrest their progress in
that direction, The roof of one 6f the malthouses soon fell ip
with a tremendous crash, and the fire continued to spread with
alarming rapidity. Notwithstaudiog the close proximity of the
building to the canal, little if any water could be obtaiued from
the peculiar situation of the malthouses, and there being no
towing oath on that side ; and in thjs case, ats in several others,
the eventual subjegatiee of the flames is attributable to the fa-
cility afforded by the pipes of the Birmingham Water Works
Corupariv,.froto which a constant and free supply of water was
readily obtained.
The fire, after some time, penetrated the back room .of the
first house in Bath-rol.v7buiatings amt the inmatesheing ap-
prised of their dauq;er, threw their 'farniture into the street, and
with their families made a hasty retreat, some beiog let down
by Ines, while others With the greatest difficulty succeeded in
,escaping through the smoke and flames. The occupants of the
two first houses, Messrs. Mender and Harris, were exposed
most to danger, and it was at the hazard of their lives that they
were able to save .their families from-destruction,. The loss
sustained is nearly ESMO. Mr. Faulkner, who was at the time
about insuring, calculates his loss ati4,oo. Mr. Freer had us-
cured the greater. portion of his properly but 4 few days before.
The premises, we•.understeud, were elso insured. How the fire
orightated is involved in doubt, and has not yet been aster
taiued.