Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Monday 19 December 1887
Serious Stack Fire at Conisborough
Late on Saturday night extensive stack fire broke out on the farm premises of Mr. George Stacey, of Doncaster road, Conisborough, by which three stacks – one each of clover, straw, and barley —were totally destroyed, and the farm buildings and three other stacks closely adjoining greatly endangered.
About ten o clock an employee of the M. S. and L. Railway Co. noticed the conflagration some distance away, and immediately gave the alarm. Mr Stacey, whose wife is in poor health, was in bed, but the household quickly aroused, and steps were taken to put out the flames, which had taken fierce hold of the clover stack.
In less than hour the fire had assumed large proportions, and the whole countryside was lighted up, the ruins of the old cattle being visible. Two other stacks soon became ignited, and the villagers turned out en masse to view the burning fodder. Fortunately the wind blew away from the house and what, under other conditions, might have been a most serious fire, was prevented by this thi circumstance.
Four other stacks escaped, and the house itself got off scott free. The parish fire engine and a private fire engine belonging to Mr Thomas Booth were brought into requisition, but inconsequence of shortness of water they could perform but very light service, although the firemen were instrumental in saving those stacks which had not become ignited by spreading, over them tarpaulin and directing their energies towards confining the flames to a small area.
The damage is estimated at closely approaching £200. The supposition is that the fire was the outcome of incendiarism, and it is a singular thing that this is the third stack fire that has occurred in Conisborough during the last year, each them first becoming noticeable about ten o’clock night.