By Press Release
This extract from a long report from the Highway and Sanitary Committee is from the Isle of Wight Observer of 18th November 1854. It concerns the rather chaotic response to a fire in Ryde High Street.
“About half-past 9 an alarm of fire from the said premises was raised; in less than fifteen minutes the first engine arrived at the spot; but, unfortunately, from want of the proper organization of the fire brigade, and of that unanimity which ought at all times to exist between such a force and the superintendent of the engine, there was much confusion and no directing hand. The canvas cistern from which it is intended to supply the mete, or hose, was not to be found, and it therefore became necessary to fill the engine by hand; in the confusion and the natural ignorance of many as to the mode of an engine’s working, the water in the first place poured into the body of the engine and as speedily run out. Mr. William Woods arrived at this juncture, removed the screw-valve connected with the reservoir of the engine, and directing the water to be poured into this, the engine was well filled and worked most satisfactorily. The canvas cistern before alluded to was subsequently found, and it was then attempted to supply the engine by means of the suction pipe, but it failed; the cause of which will be presently explained. When it was found that the first engine would not work the second was speedily on the spot, and in about twenty minutes from the breaking out of the fire was in full work… It was later discovered that the valve which had been unscrewed on the evening of the fire, in order to allow of the engine being filled by hand, had not been rescrewed when the cistern was found, and the suction hose applied; it is therefore clear that, as in the first instance, the engine would not work because the water could not find its way into the engine; so on the second, the suction hose failed because it was forgotten to replace the valve, which it had been necessary to remove in order to fill the engine by hand, and which it appears had never before been done with this engine. The Committee therefore consider than no blame is attributable to any individual, but that the evil arose from the want of that organization and of that knowledge which the fire brigade ought to possess.
Header image: Ryde 1840’s
