FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

Evening Star, Issue 4303, 11 December 1876, Page 3

FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

After a lengthened ln.l tie sonorous tones of sm? lirc-E|ttl were heard ahortiy before three o'pWfe; tins swrnlng indicating a fire In High Ward. The scene of the fire was soon discovered to be Belasell’s hairdressing establishment in Princes street. The fire was discovered by Sergeant Barry while pursuing his usual rounds, a small volume of smoke being seen to proceed from the rear portion of the premises. He immediately gave the alarm to the neighbors, and also despatched a messenger to the Tower station. With a lad named M'Qneen, who is in Mr Beissel’s employ, and lives at the rear of the shop, the Sergeant then entered the premises by means of the shop door, and discovered the back portion of the upper storey, which is used as a bath-room, to be on fire. The flamer had not then worked their way through the root, and were indeed confined te the inner portion of the building till the windows were broken in to enable the hose to be plied on the fire The flames then burst out freely, and a serious com flagration was threatened, but a timely supply of was properly brought to bear, and all doubts of the fire spreading beyond the premises where it broke out were soon set at rest. The ino® stock are-r-Victoria, L6oofe South British, MOO, and Norwich Union. Jf? 00 - Jut Beissel estimates his loss at L 1,500, He states that, the premises were closed at one o clock yesterday afternoon by himself, and that he again visited them at nine o’clock at night to dose the sky-light. He used no light, and there was no gas burning in any of the rooms, and the only way he can account for the fire is that‘some person who had been to the baths in the morning had thrown a lighted cigar or match on the floor. On visiting the building to-day we found that the upper portion of it was completely burned or gutted, a large quantity of hair being destroyed: but the damage to the lower part was trifling. There was a strong wind blowing at the time of the fire, and at one time there was every appearance of the adjoining premises being destroyed. There itas a seeming want of unanimity on the part of the Brigade at first, but had it not been for their welldirected movements, the flames would not have been so ably coped with as they were. To two of the members of the Brigade more than a passing word is doe—viz., to Fireman Brown, who stuck manfully to the hose at the top part of the building till the ladder caught Are, necessitating his beating a hasty retreat from his perilous position; and to Foreman Carnal, who was one of the first on the spot. We are unaware of the cause which prompted the writer of the article in to-day’s * Times ’ to speak so disparagingly of the firemen’s efforts, and regret that he should so speak of men who freely and voluntarily give their assistance at such times.

A resident writes to ns as follows“ The police of this, as well as other largo cities, have most arduous duties to perform, and when, by their watchfulness and energetic I action, a terrible calamity is prevented, they are entitled to every praise and public recognition. Such was the case at the fire in Princes street this morning, when, had it not been for the prompt action of Sergt. Bury, a fearful conflagration would have taken place, and the whole block up to and including the Oriental Hotel, and, perhaps, many other buildings would, undoubtedly, have been destroyed. Living a few doors off I was quickly on the spot, and found that the sergeant, hearing a crackling of wood and thinking somethmg was wrong, went to the rear of the premises .and found the place on fire. He immediately roused the neighbors, and despatched a man to ring the alarm. For this timely and prompt notion on the part of Sergt. Barry, I think he deserves the gratitude and thanks, not only of those who might have been burnt in their beds, but the public gene- “ Honor to whom honor is due.”