Firefighting Gallery

Fireboat tackling fire at Colonial Wharf, East London

A fireboat tackles a fire at Colonial Wharf, Wapping High Street, East London, 27 September 1935. This was a typical big Thamesside fire of the sort which the London Fire Brigade has tackled for over 100 years. The nine-storey warehouse was full of crude rubber and burned for four days, during which time a number of explosions took place. Sixty pumps, 20 special appliances and three fireboats, manned in all by 600 firefighters, fought the huge blaze: they successfully prevented the fire from spreading to the surrounding warehouses

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

GLC-LFB Major fire, Chelsea Hospital, Pimlico

Twelve pumps and two turntable ladders were called to deal with the major blaze at the Chelsea Hospital that destroyed the roof of the building and seriously damaged the upper floor. There were no fatalities. Shown here is a turntable ladder directing its monitor onto the blazing roof

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

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