Fire at Conisborough Brickyard

Shortly after 6 o’clock on Wednesday morning a fire was discovered in an engine house at Mrs Walker and Crawshaw’s brickyard.

The alarm was immediately given and the fire brigade called out, which arrived on the scene a few minutes afterwards, and attacked the fire with such as determination that it was quickly brought under control; its total extinction be accomplished by about 8 o’clock.

The outbreak is reported to have been caused by a lighted lamp which had been fixed to the wall falling onto some oil, which immediately ignited. The engine house was quickly enveloped in flames.

A young man named Hudson, who drives the engine said that he had only been out of the engine house a few minutes and on returning found it on fire. The building was an old one and very dry, and consequently was very quickly burnt down, but the chief difficulty was to prevent the flames from spreading to other buildings, the engine house being in the centre of a large block.

Fortunately there was a good supply of water close at hand but it was well-nigh exhausted by the time the fire was extinguished.

The fire brigade receives substantial help from various workmen at the work, many of whom will be thrown out of work for some time, the engine being completely destroyed.