Complex sentence: Vancouver Volunteer Hosewagon Company No.1, comprising a dozen volunteers, grabbed buckets and axes and tried to put the flames out; the city had purchased a fire engine which had not yet arrived; most of the city burned down in 45 minutes.
Split into simpler sentences: Vancouver Volunteer Hosewagon Company No.1, comprising a dozen volunteers, grabbed buckets and axes in attempt to extinguish the conflagration. The city had purchased a fire engine which had not yet arrived; most of the city burned down in 45 minutes.