2-982-109 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Great Fire at Bristol, 1876. 'The fire was prevented from spreading to the more extensive portion of Messrs. Gardiner and Thomas's premises by the men forming a bank of bags of rice. It was fortunate also that the wind prevented the fire spreading to the large oil and colour warehouse of Messrs. Matthews. Had [the] stock caught, nothing could have saved the entire block, as within ten yards of the spot where the fire in this direction was checked 120 tons of tar were stored, and close to this a vast quantity of palm and other oils. The front of Messrs. Clutterbuck's premises fell out...and the firemen below had a narrow escape. But although many thousands of persons were gathered together, and there were dangerous panics and rushes, as stocks of matches or collections of chemicals ignited with a great noise like an explosion, only one man was hurt. Nearly the whole of the property was insured...'. From "Illustrated London News", 1876.