FIRE AT MADAME TUSSAUD'S.

Shannon News, 15 May 1925, Page 4

FIRE AT MADAME TUSSAUD'S.

FATE OF NAPOLEONIC RELICS. . SPECTACULAR LONDON BLAZE.. LONDC-N. March 19. Probably no national institution is better known than Madame Tussaud s It may be that many Londoners had never seen it, but very few people ?rom the Dominions who. have come to England failed to pay a visit to this famous waxworks show. And now it has gone up in fire and smoke. Lon Son is not often the scene of spectacular fires, but thanks to he liberal supply of wax fuel thewoiWfamous building in the Marylebone Road created a blaze last night wliicn was the most thrilling fire spectacle witnessed in London for years. The first alarm was given at about 10.15 p.m. by some of the staff ot the Metropolitan Railway close by. in half an hour it was obvious that the stately oblong building, with its two glass ciomes.was doomed. A nu„e tongue of flame shot through the roof to a height of 100 ft, casting dangerous showers of sparks over a wide area in the* Baker Street neighbourhood. Every available fireenginem the metropolis was hurried to the scene, and the fire was fought with great but unvailing determination from three angles. ,„,.„,«' Everywhere were the midget foims of men in brass helmets pouring seemingly ineffective jets of water into thl all-devouring flames, . which by thousands of wax models in tne halls and galleries, seemed to gam greater volume as the minutes passed. Very soom after the outbreak the two handsome glass domes had collapsed with a great crash, and the fire with incredible swiftness, Penetrated the roof and went soaring into tne night, lighting up the neighbourhood and the whole of Regent's P»k. After three-quarters of an hour tne rage of the flames seemed to have spent itself, but there was another burst, almost as great as the original tongue of fire,, whiclt sent a shower of sparks over the roofs and roads. This was thought to be due to the collapse of one of the lower floors, and the feeding of the fire by ~ collecton of stored models. The fire was witnessed by a great concourse of people, who ass?"J>iS at every vantage point and occupied the attention of a large force oi police. Threatre- goers swelled tne throng, and on every hand expressions were heard of deep regret that this national institution had been destroyed. By midnight the flames were well under control, but the fire was still occupying the attention of a large force of men.