GREAT FIRE IN LONDON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2691, 22 December 1909, Page 5

GREAT FIRE IN LONDON.

CABLE NEWS.

DAMAGE A MILLION STERLING

United Press Absouiation- —(’opviught

LONDON, Dec. 20

A fire broke out in. Arding and Hobb’s drapery stores at Ciareliam. It caused a panic amongst hundreds of employees. They were dressing the windows for Christmas, or busy upstairs. Many persons jumped from the windows. Firemen rescued scores. The building was gutted, 30 persons who had been injured wore taken to the hospitals. Several persons perished.

The dome of the building fell, setting fire to the provision stores. Several other houses and shops wore destroyed. THE CAUSE —ELECTRICITY AND CELLULOID. (Received December 22, 12.15 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 21. Arding and Hobbs’ premise s were a handsome block of buildings, 100 yards square, with 50 departments, in which 600 assistants were employed. The fire was due to an assistant breaking an electric lamp while getting a comb from a window filled with celluloid articles. Soon the place was blazing: The public and assistants were screaming and struggling to escape. In ten minutes the shops were a furnace, and the heat was so great that further rescue work was abandoned. Four persons were killed by leaping from the upper floors. The flames made a splendid spectacle. The copper ornamental tower collapsed, and fired a store on the opposite side of the road. The drapers’ and drug stores were also in flames. JOHN BURNS’ GALLANTRY. Mr John Burns, whose house is within 100 yards, organised a party to tear down the Venetian masts, festoons, and flower s erected in the streets in connection with the Christmas shopping, -as they were carrying the flames across the street. He also organised bands of soldiers and sailors to assist tlie firemen. Mr. Burns worked with a sack over his head, in which he cut eye holes. His hands were badly blistered.

Mr. Shirley Renn, Unionist candidate for Battersea, also assisted.

FORTY BUILDINGS DESTROYED

Forty shops and houses were destroyed, and possibly a million sterling’s -worth of damage done. It is impossible to ascertain the number of deaths until the ruins are searched and the roll of Arding’s employees called.