Shortly after eleven o'clock Monday se'nnight a fire, which resulted in the destruction of thirteen houses, broke out on the premises of Mr. W. Hunter, of Wood Wharf, 'Greenwich, immediately facing the river. The fire was discovered in the sail-loft, and in an instant the flames, owing to the inflammable nature of the stock, burst forth with great fury.
A mounted messenger was at once dispatched to London for the engines of the Fire Brigade, three of which were soon on the spot, together with those of the town and Greenwich Hospital, and the powerful floating engine from her Majesty's Dockyard at Deptford.
A mounted messenger was at once dispatched to London for the engines of the Fire Brigade, three of which were soon on the spot, together with those of the town and Greenwich Hospital, and the powerful floating engine from her Majesty's Dockyard at Deptford.
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| The remains of the fire. Sorry about the picture quality, scan of a photocopy of a photocopy |
A party of the Donegal Militia, and a large number of police, under the superintendence of Inspectors Monk and Mott, aided in keeping off the
crowd and working the
engines. Notwithstanding a plentiful supply of water
the flames speedily
extended to the premises of Mr. Cobbett, boat-builder; Mr. Stapleton, smith; and
Mr. T. R. Huntley, coal- merchant, facing the river. The exertions of the firemen were here directed to the saving of
three valuable vessels in the yard of Mr. Hunter, the destruction of which must have taken place but for
the immense volume of water poured on the flames, the vessels escaping- with light damage.
The flames, however, unfortunately communicated with a line of small houses in the immediate vicinity, seven of which were consumed, and six others on the opposite side of the street were so much damaged that they will have to be razed to the ground.
Illustrated London News April 1860
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