A major fire broke out on Sunday at the Thames-side premises of Messrs. Fox, Stockell, and Co. in Cubitt Town, causing extensive damage estimated at around £60,000. The blaze, described by fire officials as one of the fiercest to occur in London in recent years, completely destroyed the warehouse building and led to a significant emergency response.
The fire began in the early afternoon during the lunch hour, when a workman noticed smoke rising from an electric crane box located in the lower part of a large steam crane. The blaze is believed to have originated from a fuse failure in the crane's electric wiring. Highly flammable materials, including large quantities of resin, gum, paint, and varnish, stored within the building quickly fueled the fire, causing flames to reach great heights visible for miles.
Forty motorized fire engines, supported by two motor river floats—including the fire brigade’s new vessel, Beta II—responded promptly under the direction of Chief Fire Officer Arthur Dyer. The brigade was assisted by divisional officers Commander N. G. Firebrace and Major Jackson. Despite rapid deployment, the building was entirely engulfed within an hour, with repeated explosions occurring as barrels of resin and paint ignited.
Structural damage intensified the hazards for firefighters. As walls of the warehouse collapsed, a large crane fell onto a barge moored at the wharf, igniting wood debris and causing a secondary fire in nearby varnish tanks. Other adjacent structures, including a paint and varnish manufacturer’s building, sustained only minor damage due to efforts to contain the blaze.
The fire service also protected St. Michael’s Church and its adjoining school, located opposite the burning premises. As a precaution, children were evacuated from the school, although reports indicate they viewed the half-holiday with amusement.
The fire presented considerable challenges given the risk of further structural collapse, prompting continuous monitoring to ensure firefighter safety. A favorable wind direction, blowing toward the river, helped limit the spread of flames to surrounding buildings and river traffic, which was rerouted to clear the area.
The London Salvage Corps, led by Colonel Fox, worked alongside the fire brigade throughout the night, conducting salvage operations and securing the site. Authorities confirmed no casualties occurred, a fortunate circumstance considering the normally busy workforce was largely absent during the lunch break.
Messrs. Fox, Stockell, and Co. reported that the manufacturing operations would continue unaffected despite the wholesale destruction of the warehouse. Two nearby dry docks and an oil cake mill were spared maximum damage due to the prompt intervention of emergency services.
The total losses from the fire remain subject to formal assessment, but early estimates place the damages around £60,000. Investigations point to electrical faults within the crane’s mechanism as the cause of the fire. The event serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with storing large volumes of flammable goods in densely built urban locations.