#serious fire

“Port Arthur Fire Razes Freight Shed,” Toronto Globe. August 8, 1931. Page 02. ---- Flames Sweep Building and Cars and Do Damage Set at $140,000 ---- (Special Despatch to The Globe.) Port Arthur, Aug. 7. - Damage estimated at $140,000 was caused by fire of undetermined origin which destroyed at C. N. R. freight shed and eighteen freight cars shortly after 5 o’clock this afternoon. The building was directly along side the main C. N. R. freight shed and passenger dock, and directly in front of the main business section of the city. The building was valued at $80,000; material stored in the shed awaiting shipment West, and consisting largely of soap, was valued at $30,000; and damage to the freight cars is expected to reach more than $30,000.

The blaze was discovered near the end facing the lake, and in four minutes had spread to the other end of the building, a distance of approximately 200 yards. The shed was equipped with an automatic fire alarm system, and the city Fire Department was quickly on the scene. Railway firefighting equipment arrived shortly after, and the Fort William Fire Department sent over a pump, hose truck, and several men.

"FIRE IN PENITENTIARY," Weekly British Whig. October 23, 1913. Page 3. --- DID $15,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE SATURDAY EVENING. ---- Blaze Started in the Drying Room of the Laundry, and Spread to the Prisoners' Changing Room City Fire Brigade Called. ---- On Saturday evening, about seven o'clock, a fire broke out in the drying-room of the Portsmouth penitentiary, and did damage to the extent of about $15,000. It is thought that the fire started in the north-west corner of the room. It spread up the elevator shait to the changing-room, which is situated on the second floor. After completely gutting that floor, the blaze made its way to the ceiling and roof above, and ruined them.

The changing-room is the place where the convicts go once a week to get clean clothing and to leave the soiled garments so as to have them sent to the laundry. At the time of the fire there was a considerable quantity of clothing, blankets and boots stored away, and all these things were completely destroyed.

At 7.08 o'clock the city fire department received a telephone message from the hospital at the prison, asking the chief to send his men and apparatus to the fire. It was only a minute before Chief Armstrong and seven men were on their way to the prison with a hook and ladder truck, a hose cart and a steamer. Upon arrival at the institution the guards were waiting at the gates so as to help the brigade into the yard.

By this time the guards and keepers had organized themselves into a fire brigade and were fighting the blaze with six streams of water. The local fire fighters attached the seventh line of hose and did excellent work.

Every ladder on the truck was used and by this means excellent work was accomplished. The big prison is equipped with 2,000 feet of hose, but there are not nearly enough ladders to fight a big blaze.

The fire fighters were greatly handicapped on account of being unable to get the hose through the bars on the windows. The distance between the bars is about one-half inch too narrow to allow the coupling to pass through.

All the guards at the prison are deserving of great credit for the work they did. On one occasion the men organized themselves into a small brigade and carried a line of hose to the top of the east end of the burning building. On several occasions they stood their ground when nearly drowned by water and suffocated by the dense smoke.

It was indeed a grand sight when the cupola of the building burned away and fell into the yard. The local fire brigade had the hose in the windows on the west and south sides of the building, while all ladders were leading to the roof. At one time it was feared that the fire had spread into the attic of the tailor shop. Chief Armstrong crawled up on the building and chopped a hole through the roof and Fireman Cockade crawled into the hole, but found that it was only smoke from the other fire which was emerging.

Five of the local fire fighters returned to the station on Sunday morning at two o'clock, while Firemen Murray and Cockcade stayed until 8.30 o'clock Sunday morning. When the brigade received the call Chief Armstrong brought the apparatus up from the lower station and left it at No. 2 station, in charge of Assistant Chief Elmer.

"LOOTERS SENT TO JAIL." Sault Star. September 13, 1913. Page 3. ---- One for Threatening Merchant Gets a Double Dose. --- Timmins, Sept. 12. - Two Russian looters at the Timmins fire on Sunday were today sentenced to six months' imprisonment by Magistrate Torrance. One of these threatened to shoot Buovetsky, one of the merchants pillaged, and was sentenced to another six months.

"THE DISASTROUS FIRE ON DUNDAS ST.," Toronto Star. February 11, 1913. Page 5. ---- PARTIALLY DESTROYED HOUSES AND STORES ON S. SIDE OF DUNDAS ST. ---- The havoc which the conflagration wrought at the Car Equipment Company's plant on Dundas street, near Conduit street, last night, is plainly shown by this picture of the tangled mass of ruins of the factory. Across the road is shown the row of dwellings and stores upon which the flames from the burning structure leaped like wolves. Ten families were deprived of their homes.