Firefighting

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

LCC-LFB fatal warehouse fire, Langley Street WC2

Three firemen died fighting this blaze in a Covent Garden warehouse in Langley Street. The first crews to arrive, from Clerkenwell fire station, found the warehouse well alight. The building was heavily smoke-logged. As the crews entered the building the roof collapsed with fatal consequences. Station Officer Hawkins and fireman Batt-Rawden were both killed by the fall of debris. Fireman Gadd died later as a result of his injuries. Shown here are crews continuing to extinguish the fire within the shell of the collapsed warehouse.

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

LCC-LFB Warehouse fire, Butlers Wharf, Bermondsey

A major docklands fire at Butlers Wharf, Bermondsey, SE London. It happened during a particularly cold spell for March. The attack on the fire by a large number of firefighters and their hoses resulted later in the sight of frozen water.

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

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