Broadside entitled 'Dreadful Fire!'

Transcription

Dreadful Fire !

A Full and Particular ACCOUNT of
a most Calamtious FIRE which hap-
pened in a large Tenement in the
Cowgate, Edinburgh., this morning,
Monday, 10th September,         1821,
about half an hour before One
o'Clock, by which three Lives were
Lost, and several severely Wounded
and Bruised.               

A DREADFUL FIRE broke out this morning, Monday, 10th
September, 1821, about half an hour before one o'clock, in,
a large five story house in the Cowgate, immediately opposite to
the foot of the Parliament Stairs, which, we are sorry to say, was
attended with very fatal consequences.

The Fire originated in an apartment on the second floor, and,
burning with great fierceness, soon communicated to the floors
above, and the one immediately below. About half an hour after,
the stair, a wooden one, was enveloped in flames ; but previous to
this, all the inhabitants, except one on the third floor, escaped to
the street, many of them half naked.

The family which thus unfortunately remained, consisted of a
man named Bannerman, his wife, and three children. Bannerman
himself leapt over the window, with a child in his arms, and escap-
ed with some slight hurts ;?but his wife was less fortunate; after
dropping a child from the window, she leaped over herself with
another in her arms. They were all three taken up alive, and the
poor woman, who was also far advanced in pregnancy, was carried
to the Royal Infirmary with one of the children, where they soon
after expired. The other was taken into a neighbouring house, and
survived but a few minutes.

Bannerman was lately a Serjeant in the 71st or Glasgow Light
Infantry regiment, we believe, and his wife is a native of Portugal.
The man in whose house the fire originated also lies in the Infir-
mary, with his thigh severely burned. Two of the firemen were
also considerably hurt by the falling of the burning rafters, and a
man has since been dug out of the rubbish almost dead, who had
fallen from the top of the burnt walls, and carried to the Royal
Infirmary, with but little hopes of recovery.

The fire engines were soon brought to the spot, but we regret to
state that their efficiency was much impeded by the want of water.
Having at length got access to Mr Campbell's brewery, a plentiful
supply was obtained ; but the rage of the flames defied the exer-
tions of the firemen ; and, in a few hours, the tenement in which
the fire broke out, and the one immediately adjoining to the west-
ward, which was separated only by a thin partition, were reduced
to smoking walls, except the shops on the ground floor, which suf-
fered much from the water, and the destruction necessarily occa-
sioned by the confusion of removing the stock and furniture.

The shops and tenements, which belonged to different proprie-
tors, were all insured. The three upper flats were divided into
two apartments, and occupied by numerous poor families who
have lost every thing they possessed. We understand they were
not insured. We trust that no time will be lost in setting on foot
a subscription for the unhappy sufferers, who are reduced, as may
easily be conceived, to a state of very great distress.

A Picket of the Military from the Castle attended to guard the
little property saved and keep order, and the Magistrates and a
Party of Constables were very active in rendering every assistance,
as well as the Superintendant of Police and a detachment of his
Officers.

Several private individuals were also observed very useful and
deserved great praise.

PRICE ONE PENNY

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