[Luton Fire Brigade 1917]

A big blaze in one of the central and busiest parts of Luton created a good deal of excitement on Saturday evening [August 28th, 1915]. Flames leapt up to a height of something like 50 feet, and from Beech Hill, Hart Hill, London Road and other elevated points on the outskirts it looked as though a considerable part of the town was on fire.

The outbreak occurred at an hour of the evening when the town was at its busiest and the streets were thronged with people, and a crowd of some thousands witnessed what was certainly and awe-inspiring and exciting spectacle, but thanks to the promptitude with which it was discovered and action taken to alarm the Brigade, and the splendid work of the firemen, the damage done was quite insignificant in comparison with the character of the blaze.

The outbreak occurred in a lean-to shed in a yard at the rear of the premises of Messrs T. Forman and Co, grocers and provision dealers, on the Market Hill, and was detected a few minutes after half-past seven. The manager, Mr A. Braun, was leaving the back part of the shop to go into the warehouse, when he noticed a lurid reflection, and immediately he saw that the wooden erection was alight he ran to the office and telephoned to the Fire Station.

The shed, which stood next to the wall separating the yard from the yard of the White Hart public house was used for storing petrol and paraffin oil, and as it contained some 70 gallons of paraffin besides the petrol, the flames developed so rapidly that although the Fire Brigade were on the scene within three minutes of the receipt of the call, they found the shed and a stack of about 160 beer crates near by in full blaze, and the stables on the other side of the yard in great danger of being ignited.

The flames seemed quite unquenchable, and the heat was so terrific that one of the firemen, named Evans, had both his legs scorches and blistered, but the Brigade very quickly got to work from a hydrant conveniently situated just outside the gates in Castle Street, and attacked the blaze with great vigour from two or three jets.

Several times a disused stable which adjoined the shed caught alight, but each time the Brigade effectively dealt with this new danger, and by dint of very hard work the firemen were successful in containing the fire to its source, and getting it under before nine o'clock. Two members of the Brigade were left in charge until 11, but there was no sign of any fresh outbreak, and the Brigade are to be congratulated on a particularly smart piece of work as the only damage done was the destruction of the shed and its contents and the stack of crates.

The crowd on the Market Hill, and round about in George Street and Castle Street, was a tremendous one, but the Brigade were favoured with such considerable assistance that the crowd were prevented from hampering them in their work. A large force of police were in attendance under Inspector Hagley, Sergeants E. Janes and Matsell, and valuable assistance was rendered to them in keeping the crowd at a respectable distance by a body of about 50 soldiers in uniform.

A lieutenant, who would not disclose his name afterwards, called them together, and they immediately responded and, linking arms, lined the whole of the front of the premises and formed an impassable barrier.

No reason can be assigned for the cause of the outbreak.

[Luton Reporter: Monday, August 30th, 1915]