tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-143597992024-03-14T04:43:12.849+00:00LONDON FIRE JOURNAL British Fire HistoryHonoring the Fire and Rescue Service - London and Beyond - On Web Since 2005 LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comBlogger382125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-91298034650321104512023-02-01T14:51:00.005+00:002023-02-01T14:52:40.571+00:00FROM THE EDITOR <p><span style="color: #990000; font-family: courier;"><b>Hello Dear Readers! We have given the blog a facelift all the way back to our original articles in 2005. Enjoy. Cheers, Vinny </b></span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-88276131355919893362023-01-31T17:37:00.010+00:002023-01-31T20:20:42.095+00:00PADDINGTON RAIL DISASTER - 1999<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig8hzr5-DS8kp_nYZHWEVveZybFzRM86caCaRdz7tb9KcCRQ7UDBN7pBC05mA2RkH6AOqJRLmQ_l1z2wJWcXgADeihn2c3dSNHqRf24Lbgy1xMNHcT_7zkvCmCwgKsF2nA0umS7awo48XvX4vZD2gpYsXzHwFT8Rb9lFRekoRxI23T5OGf4g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig8hzr5-DS8kp_nYZHWEVveZybFzRM86caCaRdz7tb9KcCRQ7UDBN7pBC05mA2RkH6AOqJRLmQ_l1z2wJWcXgADeihn2c3dSNHqRf24Lbgy1xMNHcT_7zkvCmCwgKsF2nA0umS7awo48XvX4vZD2gpYsXzHwFT8Rb9lFRekoRxI23T5OGf4g=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><u>Photo</u>: BBC</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Thirty-one people died when two commuter trains collided on Oct. 5, 1999 near London's Paddington rail station. </span><br /></span><br />Dozens were injured, some of the cars burst into flames - and the plume of smoke was visible across London. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Investigators determined one of trains ran a stop signal. <br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Passenger </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mark Rogers said on the BBC: "There was an almighty crash and the train rolled over and over, first onto its roof and then onto its side.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />The Paddington wreck occurred on the same stretch on rail line where seven people die in the 1997 Southall rail disaster.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-57640153135058758192023-01-31T17:33:00.007+00:002023-01-31T20:10:00.586+00:00CLAPHAM RAIL DISASTER - 1988<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie6YzVhSZfPVEMl-siviGT9gAh3lzkTwsegv7xgm21L82KMylmbCFbXuxrsm9Cway2uQ_SseS8U-mjImiILkuG6E_TGvrWi-FlpmVk9etessQti7wGTjoByLJF2kxYWuuEAskCZZ2kF-E0aFgkTBdZrzJw0EmiBw9OEE7RCEFEsp_MWwYCTg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="636" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie6YzVhSZfPVEMl-siviGT9gAh3lzkTwsegv7xgm21L82KMylmbCFbXuxrsm9Cway2uQ_SseS8U-mjImiILkuG6E_TGvrWi-FlpmVk9etessQti7wGTjoByLJF2kxYWuuEAskCZZ2kF-E0aFgkTBdZrzJw0EmiBw9OEE7RCEFEsp_MWwYCTg=w342-h400" width="342" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><u>Photo</u>: BBC<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;">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.<br /></span></span></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">''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.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">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.''</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">An inquiry determined "the primary cause was `wiring errors' made by a rail worker who had had one day off in 13 weeks, and that British Rail work practices were to blame," the BBC said. "It made 93 recommendations for safety improvements, including a limit on the hours signalmen were allowed to work."</span></p></div>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-7613573208385406582023-01-31T17:13:00.031+00:002023-01-31T17:42:08.466+00:00TELSTAR HOUSE - 2003 <p><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/RjEbszrHQ0I/AAAAAAAAAGs/6WhtvdQ0quk/s1600-h/telstar1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057854313113011010" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/RjEbszrHQ0I/AAAAAAAAAGs/6WhtvdQ0quk/s400/telstar1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><u>Photo</u>: firetactics.com</span><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Twenty engines responded to a fire at Telstar House on July 29, 2003. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Three firefighters were searching for a missing person, the BBC reported. Assistant Divisional Officer Brian Mitchinson said: `We can only commend their bravery.'" </span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-3379805960264021092023-01-30T19:48:00.009+00:002023-01-31T20:33:02.582+00:00MARCHIONESS - 1989 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PaOv6AUHxYB2mR7puBwLlCzguB_OeMy29NkuJWHn6XAW6NVZvt7kM8x6GDPBPZdGiQZ_cP-dolXRCSaCELCF-RKif4HvNE3FVjZLVJLcS0Gn0czMNcnfQd3_2R8sBrisgFjRz33-IJuEUgLrMnKye2NlBKpkX4tN0vtZzowT2qieiC6y6Q/s377/Damage_to_the_pleasure_cruiser_Marchioness.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="257" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PaOv6AUHxYB2mR7puBwLlCzguB_OeMy29NkuJWHn6XAW6NVZvt7kM8x6GDPBPZdGiQZ_cP-dolXRCSaCELCF-RKif4HvNE3FVjZLVJLcS0Gn0czMNcnfQd3_2R8sBrisgFjRz33-IJuEUgLrMnKye2NlBKpkX4tN0vtZzowT2qieiC6y6Q/w273-h400/Damage_to_the_pleasure_cruiser_Marchioness.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW8LN_SJcjbjbOfmu6_1ZHq8tsx0JlL22ZRm38X5F9v9gN3FzJgLhdbKZlVE99uP4WIkXoWtgpbynAuzEZAEro1LzhB68w0wlfkV1_PGTyYup8c6-8p-KuFoDDQJnArnMINd-jDsDZuOBQUtXHXeE-9hl5hqndEIpFjPCx0LmYzo8KD8OsA/s400/Marchioness,_damaged_and_beached.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="400" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW8LN_SJcjbjbOfmu6_1ZHq8tsx0JlL22ZRm38X5F9v9gN3FzJgLhdbKZlVE99uP4WIkXoWtgpbynAuzEZAEro1LzhB68w0wlfkV1_PGTyYup8c6-8p-KuFoDDQJnArnMINd-jDsDZuOBQUtXHXeE-9hl5hqndEIpFjPCx0LmYzo8KD8OsA/w400-h203/Marchioness,_damaged_and_beached.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: xx-small;"><u>Photos</u>: Wikipedia</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">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.</span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Josefin Sans";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">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.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Josefin Sans";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Marchioness passed its sister ship, Hurlingham, as the vessels approached Southwark Bridge, according to The Independent newspaper.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Josefin Sans";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">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."</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Josefin Sans";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">However, the Woolwich marine radio station, which received the distress call, misheard the location as Battersea Bridge -- in the opposite direction.<br /><br />It wasn't until 20 minutes after the collision that the fire brigade received the correct location.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Josefin Sans";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">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.''</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Josefin Sans";"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Independent said:<br /><br />"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.''</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">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.<br /><br /> In 1995, an inquest jury returned a verdict of "unlawful killing" but the Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was insufficient evidence.</span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-43358468986449132742023-01-30T19:13:00.007+00:002023-02-01T14:41:45.617+00:00IRA BOMBINGS IN LONDON<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6HY_AFjvSI/AAAAAAAAASE/n3J0EDMfGCY/s1600-h/parliament1974.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="299" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161645224809970978" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6HY_AFjvSI/AAAAAAAAASE/n3J0EDMfGCY/w400-h299/parliament1974.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a></p><p><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6HY4wFjvRI/AAAAAAAAAR8/sdQYOGLxpzM/s1600-h/towerlondonbombing74.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="299" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161645117435788562" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6HY4wFjvRI/AAAAAAAAAR8/sdQYOGLxpzM/w400-h299/towerlondonbombing74.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZv493hZ_plroXqudUhyaQgZ_WiS5lPZjsRYrt91qrUMX0Y4lLsSbfRCDF5htyhDLKb_ZitdgM9FzVtjlM_39aWU-eAbZmtyMaFpjhIARFLkU_Bfb5jNvKx47FTPtIzSPl4kpzKFd_9VWfKyFpFkoq0sOMLYKlVPmt1f66arwjuq4YJ_Mv_g/s400/oldbailey-1973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="321" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZv493hZ_plroXqudUhyaQgZ_WiS5lPZjsRYrt91qrUMX0Y4lLsSbfRCDF5htyhDLKb_ZitdgM9FzVtjlM_39aWU-eAbZmtyMaFpjhIARFLkU_Bfb5jNvKx47FTPtIzSPl4kpzKFd_9VWfKyFpFkoq0sOMLYKlVPmt1f66arwjuq4YJ_Mv_g/w321-h400/oldbailey-1973.jpg" width="321" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Scenes at 1974 bombings of Parliament and Tower of London and 1973 blast and Old Bailey</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><strong></strong><span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">From 1969 into the 1990s, the Provisional IRA carried out a wave of deadly attacks across the U.K. aimed at ending British rule in Northern Island - including bombings of London landmarks.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">On March 8, 1973, the IRA bombed the Old Bailey, the central criminal court. Twin car bombs claimed one life. Another 100 people were injured. The blasts also damaged government agricultural offices.</span><br /><br />On June 17, 1974, a bomb exploded at the Houses of Parliament, fracturing 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.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">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 "who took the force of the blast,'' the BBC said. ``Many people suffered badly damaged and lost limbs and severe facial injuries.''<br /><br />One of the deadliest bombings occurred Dec. 17, 1983 at Harrods Department Store during the Christmas shopping season. The explosion killed six people -- including three police officers -- and wounded scores more. "Harrods re-opened three days later despite the damage,'' the BBC said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">On April 24, 1993, a truck bomb at Bishopsgate in the City of London caused £1 billion in property loss, including the destruction of St Ethelburga's church and serious damage to Liverpool Street Underground. There were a number of casualties.</span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-81776626183146301672023-01-30T19:07:00.007+00:002023-01-30T19:08:49.598+00:00CRIPPLEGATE - 1897<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6h1uQFjvdI/AAAAAAAAATo/RrfY3dGXMG4/s1600-h/cripplegate.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163506410232987090" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6h1uQFjvdI/AAAAAAAAATo/RrfY3dGXMG4/w398-h400/cripplegate.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="398" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>On Nov. 19, 1897, flames ripped across 100 buildings in Cripplegate, putting thousands of people out of work. </span>The fire broke out in "an ostrich feather warehouse," according to the website of Gold Lane estate.</span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-29319851750779050012023-01-30T19:02:00.002+00:002023-01-30T19:03:03.620+00:00TIFFIN SCHOOL - 2003<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6IbRwFjvUI/AAAAAAAAASg/pc8GgYetRI0/s1600-h/tiffinschool.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="299" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161718114699951426" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6IbRwFjvUI/AAAAAAAAASg/pc8GgYetRI0/w400-h299/tiffinschool.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span><u>Photo</u>: BBC</span> <br /></span><span>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.</span></span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-80103513855517954742023-01-30T18:59:00.008+00:002023-01-30T19:00:04.095+00:00HEATHROW - 1997 <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6ixuQFjveI/AAAAAAAAATw/27ZbgaesT9A/s1600-h/heathrowburgerking.bmp" style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163572380930653666" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R6ixuQFjveI/AAAAAAAAATw/27ZbgaesT9A/w400-h240/heathrowburgerking.bmp" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a></p><span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span><u>Photo</u>: BBC</span> </span><br /><span></span><span>On Dec. 12, 1997, a fire at a passenger terminal disrupted flights at Heathrow Airport - one of the busiest in the world. Sixty firefighters and 15 engines battled the blaze for five hours at Terminal One. The flames spread from a Burger King restaurant through the building's air ducts.</span></span>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-1492630084590048892023-01-30T18:57:00.006+00:002023-01-30T18:57:48.445+00:00OXFORD STREET - 2007 <p><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R9bKcoGE9XI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/6B__w5mCgIM/s1600-h/oxfordst1ES_468x397.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176547414857020786" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R9bKcoGE9XI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/6B__w5mCgIM/s400/oxfordst1ES_468x397.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>"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.'' </span><span></span><span>- The Evening Standard, </span><span>April 24, 2007</span></span></p><p></p><br />LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-81392414706680813042023-01-30T18:52:00.004+00:002023-01-30T18:52:45.478+00:00WEST END - 2002<p><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R8MmorBdNaI/AAAAAAAAAXI/TfuMocwPtZo/s1600-h/westend2002.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171019277336917410" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_fwqjwK7vVzQ/R8MmorBdNaI/AAAAAAAAAXI/TfuMocwPtZo/w400-h240/westend2002.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><u>Photo</u>: BBC<br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">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.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> ``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.</span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-2747911743434502482023-01-30T17:58:00.003+00:002023-01-30T17:59:49.144+00:00ANIMAL HOUSE <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglRpNWEeIk9IacWfQYsvk-In1me5xiBQvKkULrIyXiwq0Fesm4Cn3pJTS3rTh6ss5T-66br3-UwNmb2ILSVZRtigl3T6kDpcVZE2yxwhh-ZMJ7W1NtYxHeUs1s1z2yuGdTznhh9odVMNt8d81yDmnBIMH1Fe_xDDPv4ikMopdZXULPQ7lrLA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglRpNWEeIk9IacWfQYsvk-In1me5xiBQvKkULrIyXiwq0Fesm4Cn3pJTS3rTh6ss5T-66br3-UwNmb2ILSVZRtigl3T6kDpcVZE2yxwhh-ZMJ7W1NtYxHeUs1s1z2yuGdTznhh9odVMNt8d81yDmnBIMH1Fe_xDDPv4ikMopdZXULPQ7lrLA=w400-h283" width="400" /></a></p><span style="font-family: georgia;">A <span style="background-color: white;">bird, a cat, a monkey, three dogs - and 11 London firefighters in late 1800s or early 1900s. Quite the managarie. </span></span><p></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-49556135136069022862023-01-30T00:16:00.002+00:002023-01-30T00:17:18.352+00:00PERILOUS DUTY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVYYNW7uoDvv6NWdt8MlUDK85jVHMMQRnMQEb5M8qTqwrHEG-I2FG7CtbDwMjdov3znWlAG5xurjiKA6MI1la6ba_Wk-OaOSOoXeL2i9vJCIKWDpsn22FB93BBVl25F1o7CooVbNfdKYkyqWt73FTW9OMECmLdPF32phEAIQmjAkn5zD5nw/s400/ILN1940.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVYYNW7uoDvv6NWdt8MlUDK85jVHMMQRnMQEb5M8qTqwrHEG-I2FG7CtbDwMjdov3znWlAG5xurjiKA6MI1la6ba_Wk-OaOSOoXeL2i9vJCIKWDpsn22FB93BBVl25F1o7CooVbNfdKYkyqWt73FTW9OMECmLdPF32phEAIQmjAkn5zD5nw/w420-h640/ILN1940.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Firefighting during the London Blitz in 1940</span></div>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-35684052505650060502023-01-29T22:55:00.003+00:002023-01-29T22:56:07.281+00:00RAGGETT'S HOTEL - 1845<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BOLd15rBZrZ8cDM0ZxFcCV7fonqfNIXRsGMX21pDvT2TZ1G8k6oy2j3kUjvVNbudgS8mwz1bxBueNMVQ9yAUlDAb2z9NVAXQ539rfeQG8kLj90ftLNNpa0oeQy8_UWvo2aQtMVwDHUthsOzVQjSTDThIcY713Kc6yNhHfvkikdnx2a5m1A/s552/raggetts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="402" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BOLd15rBZrZ8cDM0ZxFcCV7fonqfNIXRsGMX21pDvT2TZ1G8k6oy2j3kUjvVNbudgS8mwz1bxBueNMVQ9yAUlDAb2z9NVAXQ539rfeQG8kLj90ftLNNpa0oeQy8_UWvo2aQtMVwDHUthsOzVQjSTDThIcY713Kc6yNhHfvkikdnx2a5m1A/w466-h640/raggetts.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><u>Illustration</u>: </span><span style="background-color: white;">The Fireman's Own Book by George P. Little, 1860</span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On May 27, 1845, fire swept Raggett's - a popular hotel in Piccadilly. </span><br /><br />"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. <br /><br />At the same time, firemen saved a number of guests with escape ladders - demonstrating the value of the wheeled apparatus.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">A periodical - The Gentleman's Magazine, July 1845 edition - reported:</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><em style="background-color: white;">`"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.<br /><br />"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.''<br /></em><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">The Victorian-era publication also printed an obituary of Mrs. Round, the wife of the member of the House of Commons:</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><em style="background-color: white;">"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.''<br /></em><br style="background-color: white;" /><strong style="background-color: white;">Ladder Rescues</strong><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">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.''</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">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.</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">In "The Fireman's Own Book'' - published in 1860 - George P. Little wrote:</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><em style="background-color: white;">"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.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />"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.''</em><br style="background-color: white;" /><em style="background-color: white;"></em><br style="background-color: white;" /><strong style="background-color: white;">Rapid Spread</strong><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Little also wrote:</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><em style="background-color: white;">"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.<br /><br />"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.''</em></span>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-77873958424729847902021-07-14T18:04:00.001+00:002021-07-14T18:04:28.983+00:00HENDERSON'S - 1960<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oVngGwiN6PI/YO8mNMRZJnI/AAAAAAAACkA/sWjx1vj4_bAdkL4ltlI4cL1jJjqnu8LCACLcBGAsYHQ/s800/hendersons%2Bliverpool%2B1960%2B%2Bstacks-image-2b1e361-600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="472" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oVngGwiN6PI/YO8mNMRZJnI/AAAAAAAACkA/sWjx1vj4_bAdkL4ltlI4cL1jJjqnu8LCACLcBGAsYHQ/w490-h472/hendersons%2Bliverpool%2B1960%2B%2Bstacks-image-2b1e361-600x800.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>Photo</u>: Liverpool Ambulance<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">On June 22, 1960, fire destroyed Henderson's department store in Liverpool, claiming 11 lives.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The blaze led to reforms </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">granting fire brigades legal authority conduct safety inspections of stores and offices and implement escape plans, similar to the requirements of the Factories Act.<br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">One of the rescuers, Firefighter George Taylor, recalled the fire in a BBC interview in 2010:</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"When we got to the incident the driver of the turntable ladder had seen the situation, there were people on the ledge about 100 feet up on the fourth floor of the building.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"They'd obviously managed to get out of the windows on to that ledge. A lot of heat and smoke [was] coming out of the building, flames on different levels.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"When the ladder was extended my boss was about to go up but he didn't have what we call a hook belt which was a security device.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"I'd managed to put one of those on so I called to him to let me go past him, which I did.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"As I'm going up the ladder about halfway up the people on the left hand side of the head of the ladder, two of them had been placed by Colin Murphy on to the roof of the building next door which was Bunneys department store.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Unfortunately when I was about halfway up the ladder the heat and flame from inside the building blew him off the ledge and he went past me and he was killed. He dropped down on to the canopy outside.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"The people on the ledge, having seen what had happened to him they started to move away from where our ladder was positioned and so we had to call to them to stay where they were.</span></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Eventually I got to the top of the ladder and managed to get five people on to the ladder with me and as were coming down, with the blast of flame coming out of the windows, the two ladies who were amongst the group received burns to their arms and faces. It was only than I realised I didn't have a helmet on."</span></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-85979152351559240592021-07-13T22:35:00.004+00:002023-02-01T14:02:25.215+00:00BETHNAL GREEN ROAD - 2004<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 2004, Whitechapel station firefighters Bill Faust and Adam Meere became the first London firefighters to die in the line of duty in more than a decade. </span><br /><br />Faust, 36, and Meere, 27, were fatally injured at an eight-pump fire on Bethnal Green Road in East London on July 20, 2004. They died at Royal London Hospital. <br /><br />Meere had joined the bridage a few months earlier. <br /><br />The fire in the three-story structure was reported at 4 a.m. ``The firefighters got into difficulty in the lower part of the building where the fire was most severe,'' the BBC reported.<br /><br />The men, both wearing breathing apparatus, were pulled from the flames by their colleagues, but it was too late. <br /><br />In 1993, a firefighter died in Willesden in north London.</span></div><p></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-14754965613361897442021-07-13T15:28:00.009+00:002023-01-30T18:11:34.630+00:00PRINCESS'S THEATRE - 1829<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efC2sqoL0qg/YO2xACoRV1I/AAAAAAAACjA/PqMMTzAC_g0qytBXjA6j1LPVZpmYUmezgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/princess%2Btheatre%2Bfile.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="640" height="310" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-efC2sqoL0qg/YO2xACoRV1I/AAAAAAAACjA/PqMMTzAC_g0qytBXjA6j1LPVZpmYUmezgCLcBGAsYHQ/w435-h310/princess%2Btheatre%2Bfile.jpg" width="435" /></a></div><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">Fire at Royal Princess's Theatre, 73 Oxford Street in London, in 1829. It was rebuilt.<br /></span><p></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-66634119050414699212021-07-12T21:01:00.002+00:002021-07-12T21:04:28.638+00:00ST CATHERINE'S - 1913 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TjqWLTOg978/YOytUHzL33I/AAAAAAAACiw/pkOvoJUzFeEg8tqKJmSkMe8_5KRUuXCRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/st%2Bcath%2Bmirror.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="500" height="507" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TjqWLTOg978/YOytUHzL33I/AAAAAAAACiw/pkOvoJUzFeEg8tqKJmSkMe8_5KRUuXCRQCLcBGAsYHQ/w479-h507/st%2Bcath%2Bmirror.jpg" width="479" /></a></div><br /><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;">On May 6, 1913, fire gutted St. Catherine's Church in London and contemporary reports suggested the fire was set by suffragettes. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The suffragettes were responsible for a series of blazes across London meant to protest government policy.</span></span><p></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-30283624597144084162021-04-20T16:36:00.011+00:002021-04-20T16:40:10.422+00:00ROYAL VISITOR - 1974<p><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NICtrIXiEM4/YH8CsjeKY0I/AAAAAAAAChg/3Uw3OrBAKjcfN4wuKjMLxl99RXgqFReQQCLcBGAsYHQ/s595/Her_Majesty_Queen_Elizabeth_visits_the_London_Fire_Brigade_Headquarters%252C_Lambeth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="595" height="350" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NICtrIXiEM4/YH8CsjeKY0I/AAAAAAAAChg/3Uw3OrBAKjcfN4wuKjMLxl99RXgqFReQQCLcBGAsYHQ/w476-h350/Her_Majesty_Queen_Elizabeth_visits_the_London_Fire_Brigade_Headquarters%252C_Lambeth.jpg" width="476" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><u>Photo</u>: Wiki Commons</span><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Queen Elizabeth II meeting London Fire Brigade members who responded to 1974's wave of IRA bombings. She is escorted by Chief Officer Joseph Milnerin at London Fire Brigade headquarters in Lambeth.</span><br /></span><p></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-77975465858573202542021-04-20T15:01:00.008+00:002023-01-29T21:14:20.888+00:00LONDON'S TOLL<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXS0u2SfEs4/YH7ssDjiDjI/AAAAAAAAChY/AF0vHABdgeY8QEEqrtY3R4wjbYONEUZ3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/London-blitz-map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GXS0u2SfEs4/YH7ssDjiDjI/AAAAAAAAChY/AF0vHABdgeY8QEEqrtY3R4wjbYONEUZ3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w497-h392/London-blitz-map.jpg" width="497" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">The Luftwaffe dropped thousands of bombs on </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">London</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"> from 1939 to 1945, killing almost 30,000 people and demolishing more than </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">than 70,000 buildings. Additionally, 1.7 million structures sustained bomb damage.</span></span></span></div><p></p>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-32577787275422269712019-10-16T14:11:00.007+00:002023-01-29T21:15:16.454+00:00HOME FRONT CASUALTIES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-916XIyemdbg/YO8s5FMMGgI/AAAAAAAACkQ/cQK0G8eVHAwOCCxTQUjO6CfVHANwzuRzACLcBGAsYHQ/s213/AFS%2Bbert-hardy-firemen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="160" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-916XIyemdbg/YO8s5FMMGgI/AAAAAAAACkQ/cQK0G8eVHAwOCCxTQUjO6CfVHANwzuRzACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/AFS%2Bbert-hardy-firemen.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">According to website Rescue 1: "The wartime casualties to the fire service during raid firefighting in England and Wales amounted to roughly 700 fireman and 20 firewomen killed in action and 6,000 seriously injured. In one raid alone, 91 firemen died and several hundred were injured protecting London."</span></span>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-18100350979939447872019-09-20T17:18:00.000+00:002019-09-20T18:00:23.728+00:00COVENT GARDEN - 1954<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-xUVHgX2z0/XYUSgKTG6SI/AAAAAAAACcA/8wbGIkfiiIQkqet4C0HOoglfYir3Qj6hACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/coventgarden1954news%2Buntitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="526" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-xUVHgX2z0/XYUSgKTG6SI/AAAAAAAACcA/8wbGIkfiiIQkqet4C0HOoglfYir3Qj6hACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/coventgarden1954news%2Buntitled.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxzQ7ppFZFI/XYUI2xSNLqI/AAAAAAAACb4/ymfTeWrU4D8bt1MGJ940EH482BeeuSN1gCEwYBhgL/s1600/Covent_Garden%252C_Langley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="250" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxzQ7ppFZFI/XYUI2xSNLqI/AAAAAAAACb4/ymfTeWrU4D8bt1MGJ940EH482BeeuSN1gCEwYBhgL/s400/Covent_Garden%252C_Langley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Photos</u>: Institution of Fire Engineers</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Firefighters from London's old Clerkenwell fire station paid dearly in life and flesh at a warehouse blaze at Covent Garden on May 11, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">1954.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333;" /><span style="color: #333333;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The </span><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">five-story building, constructed of </span><span style="background-color: white;">s<span style="color: black;">teel frame and brick with wooden floors, suffered structural failure, according to the Institution of Fire Engineers.<br /><br />The alarm was received at 3 p.m.</span></span></span></span><br /><br />"While fighting a fire in a warehouse containing fruit and vegetables, adjacent to Covent Garden, London, Station Officer Fred Hawkins and Fireman A E J Batt-Rawden, both of Clerkenwell Fire Station, lost their lives,'' according to Fire magazine. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">"Sub Officer Sidney Peen, Leading Fireman Ernest Datlin, Fireman Kenneth Aylward, Fireman Charles Gadd, Fireman Frederick Parr and Fireman Daniel Stocking were all sent to hospital. Three of the injured required plastic surgery treatment.''</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Covent Garden was a hub for fruit and vegetable businesses, staring with a small open-air market in 1654, according to Wikipedia.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Dec. 21, 1949, fire broke out in stacks of Christmas trees stored in catacombs beneath a Covent Garden market, claiming a fireman's life.</span></span></span></span>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-22991319923521880012019-09-20T17:04:00.026+00:002023-01-30T16:57:18.880+00:00BARBICAN - 1902<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">On April 21, 1902, fire erupted at MacQueen's hat factory in the
Barbican and wind-whipped flames gutted adjacent buildings. "Three hundred firemen and 40 fire
engines were engaged,'' The New York Times said. "Owing to the danger
that Aldergate Street Station might catch fire, traffic on the Metropolitan
Railway was temporarily suspended. The guests of the Manchester Hotel, adjacent
to the Aldergate Street station, hurriedly left.'' <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Chief Fire Officer Wells directed the firefighting. Two firemen were injured.</span></p></div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-56356771123863418162019-09-20T14:31:00.003+00:002021-07-13T23:21:13.881+00:00MOORGATE TUBE - 1908 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f208i1tLiDc/XYTh1cRDuFI/AAAAAAAACbI/vx_Gv2lQoTcRkWNQq61Mnvw8fDw1JJrvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/londonunderground1908%2B6439692875_7f493d7cda_b.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1024" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f208i1tLiDc/XYTh1cRDuFI/AAAAAAAACbI/vx_Gv2lQoTcRkWNQq61Mnvw8fDw1JJrvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/londonunderground1908%2B6439692875_7f493d7cda_b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The most serious fire which has as yet taken place in the network of the tube railways under London broke out recently about 25 yds. from the Moorgate st. station of the City & South London railway," the magazine Fire Engineering reported in 1908.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />"Contrary to the inactive proceedings of our Interborough company, either on its subway or elevated lines, managers were at once dispatched along the line; the trains were stopped and the passengers sent to the surface.<br /><br />"The electric current was at once cut off, so that no live wires or rails handicapped the firemen (wearing) smoke-helmets. Even with these on, they could not enter at Moorgate, the flame and smoke being so severe, and engines and men were dispatched to the stations at the Bank and Old street.<br /><br />"The firemen soon had the blaze under control. There was a big crowd at Moorgate street station awaiting transportation: but no panic ensued and all the expectant passengers were taken up to the street by the elevators."</span>LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14359799.post-5560152754358712052019-08-21T20:33:00.003+00:002019-08-26T19:35:22.689+00:00LAMBETH TURNOUT<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lT2ICI6PbNs/XV2qcfzpp-I/AAAAAAAACa8/xazGoXGWbDEogw7z4_lJ_Az-6dl8bjzTwCLcBGAs/s1600/lambeth%2BDky8vx6XsAAqkUy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="900" height="292" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lT2ICI6PbNs/XV2qcfzpp-I/AAAAAAAACa8/xazGoXGWbDEogw7z4_lJ_Az-6dl8bjzTwCLcBGAs/s400/lambeth%2BDky8vx6XsAAqkUy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><u>Photo</u>: LFB Twitter</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fire crews turn out from London Fire Brigade's old headquarters at Lambeth along the Thames, circa 1930. </span></div>
LONDON FIRE JOURNALhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01463853606182403478noreply@blogger.com