50 HOURS BATTLE

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1931, Page 5

50 HOURS BATTLE

SPECTACULAR LONDON FIRE, BURNING RUBBER AND TEA. For over CO hours firemen battled recently with one of the biggest and most spectacular fires ever known iu London. It broke out in a warehouse at Butler’s Wharf, Tower Bridge in the congested heart of London’s danger zone. Fanned by a gale, the flames rapidly seized the seven-storev building, which was filled with stocks of tea and rubber. In a short time it was a furnace.

The flamesshot high iu the air, walls crashed to the ground,'and flaming fragments dropped in showers in the congested danger area, carrying the fire peril far and wide. Handicapped by the intense cold, which froze the water, and the dense black fumes from the burning rubber, firemen perched precariously on cranes and escapes, and poured cascades of water into the blaze.

“I saw a puff of smoke come from the top floor of the building. It was immediately followed by a small ‘pop,’ and then a ’loud explosion. In two minutes the roof was a mass of flames.” This was an eye-witness’ description of the outbreak. In a little while it had become the biggest and most menacing fire known in London for many years. For nearly . three days firemen fought the blaze. Although they had fireengines from every station in London, ■■ water towers, and fire-floats, they could not subdue the blaze, which broke out time and again in different parts of the building. It took all their efforts to confine the flames to the great warehouse where the fire started. BURNING RUBBER FUAIES. The firemen were handicapped oy the dense itumes from the burning rubber and showers of flaming tealeaves, which, driven hither and titlier by the wind, enveloped them in clouds of swirling, fiery particles. The water, which froze into icicles On the walls and formed’ sheets of ice on the roads, added peril to their task, already rendered dangerous by collapsing wall s and fa'llihg roofs;- . by; 1 The blaze''could be seen for miles, • -]* and policemen who had been on night ,j duty were called 1 from bed to hold back the crowds of spectators. So dense wa-s the smoke that the, sun was completely blotted out, and lights had to be switched qn in buildings a mile away. The gas supply over a wide area was cut off in order to prevent explosions, and traffic was disorganised. Several firemen were overcome by the fumes, and a rescue squad, equipped with smoke helniets, stood, by to render help. The back of the wharf was connected by iron bridges With premi&eb on the other side of the, road, and from these firemen poured thousands of gallons' of water into the- middle of the blaze., FOOT OF WATER IN STREETS. Escapes were run up, and on those men stood swaying perilously in file gale, whjch also whipped the flames into fury. Every street in the neighbourhood was soon covered with a twisted mas s of hosepipes. Water a foot deep swirled in the roads, and householders boarded up their doors to prevent their homes being flooded. Dozen s of firemen commandeered the steamer Teal, which was moored at the / wharf. The masts and funnels were used as water-towers. Even wharf erancg were used for that purpose., Fire floats were unable to get near the flames owing to lonv tide. AVith the advent of high water the Teal was moved to midstream and two Inc launches made fast to the wharf. Fire superintendents toured the quay jn motor-cars, shouting orders through microphones. They patrolled the whole of the river frontage watching for further outbreaks from the flaming fragment which fell over a wide area. Floors collapsed with thunder-like crashes, and enormous tongues of flame ; leaped frgh in the air. On the river side of the building was a large crane used for conveying cargo to and from the vessels anchored alongside. As the flames licked around it, its foundations became loosened, and the great iron structure, made red-hot by the fierce flames, crashed down on the wharf.

FIREMEN’S CLOTHING FROZEN STIFF. The firemen had been warned, of the danger beforehand and everyone war kept clear when the fall of the crane was imminent. Later, a wall, which it had been hoped would restrict the fire to one section of the buildings collapsed unexpectedly, and in a few minutes another huge stock of merchandise had been involved. Time and again, when it appeared that the fire was under control, the flames suddenly shot up with renewed intensity. 'After a time the front of the building was covered with a fantastic curtain of ice. The clothing of the firemen was frozen stiff, and they were able to work only in short shifts. Various devices had to he adopted to avoid touching the nozzles of the hoses, which were so cold that they might have taken the skin off the hands of the firemen.