PADDINGTON RAIL DISASTER - 1999

Photos: BBC, Metropolitan Police 

Thirty-one people died when two commuter trains collided in a fiery wreck on Oct. 5, 1999 near London's Paddington rail station. Dozens of people sustained injuries.

Passenger cars burst into flames - and the plume of smoke was visible across London. 

Investigators determined one of trains ran a stop signal. 

Passenger Mark Rogers told on the BBC: "There was an almighty crash and the train rolled over and over, first onto its roof and then onto its side."

The London Fire Brigade Museum's website recounted the tragedy: 

"An emergency call was made at 0810am and crews from North Kensington fire station arrived minutes later.

"Station Officer Hodson reportedly saw a `large mushroom cloud of smoke rising 150-200m into the air' and further fire engines were requested at 0815am.

"Crews initially faced difficulty in gaining access to the accident site because of a delay in opening a security gate.

"Several firefighters scaled the gate and began laying hose to quickly extinguish the fire.

"After securing the derailed carriages, firefighters began rescuing passengers from the wreckage but found many of the trapped passengers hampered by the dangers posed by the suspended roof of the train and the fraying of the overhead electric lines." 

The Paddington wreck - also known as the Ladbroke Grove disaster - occurred on the same stretch on rail line where seven people died in a 1997 accident.

CLAPHAM RAIL DISASTER - 1988

Photo: BBC

On Dec. 12, 1988, Clapham Junction was the scene of a railway accident involving two collisions between three commuter trains. Thirty-five people died and more than 100 were injured.

"The first call about the incident was received at 0813 with crews from Clapham, Battersea, Tooting, Norbury, Fulham, and Euston fire stations attending the disaster," according to the London Fire Brigade website. "First reports were of two trains, but it became clear there were actually three."

''It is sheer, bloody hell,'' said James McMillan, an assistant chief fire officer quoted by The New York Times. The second train ''seemed to dive under the rear of the first, come out on its right-hand side and then go into the empty train,'' he said.

Passenger Chris Reeves, who was seated in a buffet car on one of the trains, said "the roof split open like a ripe tomato, and that's how we got out.''

An inquiry determined faulty repairs to a rail signal led to the pile-up - "`wiring errors' made by a rail worker who had had one day off in 13 weeks," the BBC said.

A union official complained about the condition "pre-war" signal equipment, in the aftermath of the crash, saying  "A lot of the equipment is held together by chewing gum and wire," according to United Press International.

Clapham Junction is considered one of Europe's busiest rail junctions.

MARCHIONESS - 1989

Photos: Wikipedia

The London Fire Brigade responded to the deadly sinking of the party boat Marchioness on the Thames that killed 51 people on Aug. 20, 1989.

The vessel collided with the 260-foot gravel dredger Bowbelle after departing Charing Cross pier at 1:25 a.m. for a birthday party for banker Antonio de Vasconcellos, 26.

Marchioness passed its sister ship, Hurlingham, as the vessels approached Southwark Bridge, according to The Independent newspaper.

At 1:46 a.m., the Hurlingham witnessed the collision and issued a distress call: "Wapping Police, Wapping Police, emergency. Pleasure boat is sunk, Cannon Street Railway Bridge, all emergency aid please."

However, the Woolwich marine radio station, which received the distress call, misheard the location as Battersea Bridge -- in the opposite direction.

It wasn't until 20 minutes after the collision that the fire brigade received the correct location.

At 2:16 a.m., Station Officer Gleeson of the Southwark fire station radioed: "Machioness sunk, believed downstream of Blackfrairs Bridge with unknown number of people in river and Met Police searching river between Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges.''

The Independent said:

"No one was found alive after the first 30 minutes. Only one body was recovered that night by the fire brigade. No others were found until the following day when the wreck was raised east of Southwark Bridge: there were 24 bodies found in different sections of the boat. Over the next few days the remaining 26 bodies were gradually recovered along the river, the last being Mr de Vasconcellos himself.''

In August 1991, a report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said "the failure of lookouts on both ships was the immediate cause of the tragedy,'' the BBC said.

 In 1995, an inquest jury returned a verdict of "unlawful killing" but the Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was insufficient evidence.

IRA ATTACKS

Photo: City of London Police

1993 at Bishopsgate, 1974 at Parliament and Tower of London, 1973 at old Bailey and 1983 at the Harrod's store

From 1960s into the 1990s, the Provisional Irish Republican Army carried out a wave of deadly attacks across the U.K. aimed at ending British rule in Northern Ireland - including bombings of historic landmarks.

There were an estimated 500 incidents during "The Troubles," mainly in London, with 50 people dying in the capital, including 28 civilians, 15 soldiers and five police officers, and two IRA members, Wikipedia said.

One of the most heinous occurred July 20, 1982, when the IRA bombed the Queen’s Life Guard. "Fifteen mounted soldiers of the Household Cavalry were in Hyde Park on their way to change the guard near Buckingham Palace when a remote-controlled car bomb was detonated, blasting them with nails and other shrapnel," according to the UK Army Museum. Four soldiers and seven horses died.

On March 8, 1973, the IRA hit the Old Bailey, London's central criminal court. Twin car bombs claimed one life. Another 100 people were injured. The blasts also damaged government agricultural offices.

On June 17, 1974, a bomb at the Houses of Parliament fractured a gas main. "A fierce fire spread quickly through the centuries-old hall in one of Britain's most closely-guarded buildings,'' the BBC said. About a dozen people were injured.

A month later, July 17, 1974, a blast at the Tower of London killed one person and injured about 40 others. The bomb detonated in the Mortar Room in the White Tower, a small basement exhibition room packed with tourists.

On Dec. 17, 1983, bombers struck London's Harrods Department Store during the Christmas shopping season.  The explosion killed six people, including three police officers, and wounded scores more.

On April 24, 1993, a truck bomb at Bishopsgate in the City of London caused £1 billion in property loss, including the destruction of a church and serious damage to the Liverpool Street Underground. One person died and 44 were injured.

CRIPPLEGATE - 1897

On Nov. 19, 1897, flames ripped across 100 buildings in Cripplegate, putting thousands of people out of work. The fire broke out in "an ostrich feather warehouse," according to the website of Gold Lane estate.

TIFFIN SCHOOL - 2003

Photo: BBC 
On Dec. 15, 2003, a 12-pump fire ripped through the Tiffin Girls School in Kingston in southwest London. There were no injuries. The fire burned for several hours.

OXFORD STREET - 2007

"More than 150 firefighters battled through the night as a huge blaze engulfed one of Oxford Street's busiest stores. Hundreds of shoppers had to be evacuated and traffic was brought to a standstill for several hours as New Look's London flagship shop went up in flames.'' - The Evening Standard, April 24, 2007

WEST END - 2002

Photo: BBC
On Sept. 26, 2002, firefighters extinguished a fire that engulfed two buildings in London's West End - and threatened to spread to the 200-year-old Theatre Royal. ``More than 50 firefighters managed to control the fire which burned for over four hours, closing roads and filling the West End with smoke,'' the BBC said.

ANIMAL HOUSE

 

A bird, a cat, a monkey, three dogs - and 11 London firefighters in late 1800s or early 1900s. Quite the managarie. 

RAGGETT'S HOTEL - 1845

 Illustration: The Fireman's Own Book by George P. Little, 1860

On May 27, 1845, fire swept Raggett's - a popular hotel in Piccadilly.

"Several eminent persons perished,'' according to Haydn's Dictionary of Dates and Universal Information, including the wife of a Member of Parliament , the owner of the hotel and his daughter.

At the same time, firemen saved a number of guests with escape ladders - demonstrating the value of the wheeled apparatus.

Ten engines attended the blaze, which was visible in many parts of the city. Queen Victoria witnessed the progress of the flames from her palace and sent a messenger. The legendary chief officer, James Braidwood, was in command of the fire forces.

The water supply was considered adequate for the pumps, but the wood construction of the hotel fueled the blaze, the cause of which was deemed an accident.

A periodical - The Gentleman's Magazine, July 1845 edition - reported:

`"May 27 - A fire very suddenly occurred at Raggett's Hotel, in Dover-street, Piccadilly, at one o'clock in the morning, and, though few persons in the house had retired to rest, five of them lost their lives, namely, Mrs. John Round, wife of the member for Maldon; Mr. Raggett, the proprietor of the hotel; Miss Raggett, his daughter, (who, missing her footing on the escape, fell to the ground with great violence, and died soon after); Mrs. Jones, a servant of Lord Huntingdon's; and another female servant.

"The fire originated in the apartments of Miss King, who set fire to her bed curtains, and its rapid progress is attributed to the throwing open of all the doors. The hotel was formed from two old houses, and of slight and inflammable materials.''

The Victorian-era publication also printed an obituary of Mrs. Round, the wife of the member of the House of Commons:

"Perished in the awful conflagration at Raggett's Hotel, Dover-st. aged 56, Susan-Constantia, wife of John Round, esq. M.P. for Maldon. She was the eldest daughter of the late George Caswall, esq. of Sacombe Park, Herts, and co-heir to her brother the late George Newman Caswall, esq.; was married in 1815, and has left issue three sons and one surviving daughter. The latter narrowly escaped her mother's fate. They had just returned from the French play, and were still waiting for their supper when so suddenly alarmed.''

Ladder Rescues

At the time, fire suppression was provided by the London Fire Engine Establishment, organized in 1833 to consolidate brigades operated by London's insurance companies. James Braidwood, former firemaster of Edinburgh, commaded 13 fire stations and 80 full-time firefighters. His men were nicknamed ``Jimmy Braiders.''

Rescue services were provided by a separate agency - the Royal Society for the Protection of Life - which operated a network of wheeled escape ladders stationed across the city. Each of the escapes was manned by a "conductor." Escape ladder stations outnumbered fire stations housing the engines.

In "The Fireman's Own Book'' - published in 1860 - George P. Little wrote:

"The fire was discovered by police constable 44 C, who observed smoke issuing through the windows on the southern corner of the first floor. Several persons quickly made their appearance at the front and back windows in their night clothes. Such a strong hold had the fire obtained, that in less than ten minutes the flames were shooting forth from the windows with great fury, and extending nearly half way across the road.

"The police constable, on giving the alarm, had the presence of mind to send messengers for the fire-escapes and engines; consequently, in a few minutes, two escapes, belonging to the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, were at the scene of conflagration, and also the parish engine. The one belonging to the County Office was also early in arriving, as well as several belonging to the London Brigade and the West of England, from the station in Waterloo Road.

"The first object that was sought to be accomplished was the rescue of the inmates, but before ladders or the escapes could be placed in front of the building, a number of persons got out upon a small balcony over the doorway, and, being assisted by the police and neighbors, they were enabled to effect their escape in safety.

"The persons in the upper floors were obliged to remain until the escapes could be placed to their windows. As soon as that was done, several of them entered the machines, and were received below in safety.''

Rapid Spread

Little also wrote:

"The rapidity and intensity of the fire may be accounted for from the fact that the whole of the apartments were wainscotted, and that there was three times as much wood in the building as is usual in modern houses. Although, therefore, there were ten engines in attendance within half an hour of the outbreak, and a plentiful supply of water, the whole building, with the single exception of the sitting room of Mrs. Round, which remained with the supper things standing on the table uninjured and untouched, was in flames.

"In the report made by Mr. Braidwood he attributes the rapid progress of the fire to the fact that the whole of the doors were thrown open, and thus a free current of air tended to increase the flames. Her Majesty had herself witnessed the progress of the flames from the Palace, and a messenger was at an early hour sent to inquire into the extent of the damage.''