Results for ‘Fires’
Building on Quaker Road Was Being Used as a School Room
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 29 May 1924]
Fire of unknown origin completely destroyed a brick building being temporarily used as a school in school section number 5, Thorold Township, Monday evening. The School Board’s loss is covered to the extent of $250.
School accommodation being very limited in that section, the authorities leased the building, which is of brick and which stands near the usual school, from the Cataract Power Company. It was built by Alex Page, father of George Page of Welland and had been occupied for school purposes for the past three years.
The teacher, Miss Baker, left as usual at four o’clock but returned about one hour later for a short time. Everything was in order when she again departed. An hour later the fire was discovered, the blaze apparently having commenced in the woodshed.
Nothing was saved, the whole building being totally destroyed. The insurance amounted to $250.
The trustees have made provisions to have Miss Baker’s room resume work on Monday in the school building. The provision is but temporary until the midsummer holidays.
[People’s Press, 1 December 1903]
A fire occurred in the north ward last evening, a house owned by Peter McKinley on North Main street being pretty badly damaged. The house was occupied by Elmer Crosby, whose furniture was nearly all saved. There was no insurance on house contents, and Mr. McKinley’s loss on the latter will be about $200. He recently let the insurance policy on it run out and had neglected renewing it.
The fire was noticed in the roof by Wm. Kelsey, shortly after 7 o’clock, who was passing, and he hurriedly warned the occupants and climbing up on a roof, formed a bucket brigade. The water had to be taken from a lawn tap and the process was so slow that the fire kept gaining headway. The box alarm at Milne’s corner was set off but did not work and an alarm was sent in by phone. It was quite a while before the firemen arrived and then the hydrant was found to be frozen up causing several minutes more delay. A half hour elapsed from the time it was first noticed until water was put on it. The roof was burned, upper storey gutted and back kitchen burned, and the whole damaged by water. Two streams of water soon conquered the blaze, which was a bright one for a while but did not burn very rapidly.
The fire is supposed to have originated in the roof from a defective chimney, wood being burned in the stove.
S.L. Lambert, Miss T. Rink and Fred Sparks Lose Heavily
[People’s Press, 5 January 1915]
The Garden-Ward store and residence adjoining on North Main Street were gutted by fire which was discovered about 10.30 New Year’s night by Mrs. Burgar and Wm. Burgar, who were passing. They gave the alarm and the firemen were soon on hand but they had considerable difficulty in drowning out the blaze, which had gained considerable headway. The fire broke out several times after it seemed almost extinguished. The contents of both buildings were almost wholly destroyed by either fire or water.
The total loss is about $8000. S. Lambert , the owner of the buildings, was insured for $3,000. Miss T. Rink had $2,000 insurance on stock in store and Fred Sparks, who was the occupant of the residence in connection with the store, was insured for $700. Mr. Sparks and family were in Hamilton at the time. The fire started in a hallway connecting the store and house. Mr. Lambert attributes the fire to defective electric wiring.
Surrounding Buildings Saved With Difficulty-About $5000 Loss to Mr. Rounds
[People’s Press, 4 June 1918]
On Sunday afternoon, Rounds’ lumber warehouse on the North side of the Welland River on North Main was completely destroyed by fire. Hundreds of people who were out in summer attire, it being a beautiful day, were attracted to the spot, and it was a large concourse of people who watched the Welland fire brigade saving the surrounding buildings. The big warehouse it was impossible to save. The Welland brigade were in full force on the ground, and were using the hose within about ten minutes from the time the alarm was sounded. The fire broke out in an extraordinary way. Passers by ten minutes before the whole warehouse was ablaze declare they saw no sign of the building being alight. The warehouse was stocked with furnishings, mouldings, and prepared lumber for buildings, etc., the whole stock being valued at about $10,000. The whole building and stock quickly were in one fierce blaze. The brigade saw that no force of water available could put out that blaze in time to save any of the stock or building. Then work was necessarily directed upon the large barn close by. In that barn there were two valuable horses which Mr. Rounds and one of his men got out just in time.
One horse went out quietly, but the other gave some difficulty. However, the animal was rescued and then Rounds and his companion went back into the barn. At the moment they entered a small hole was burnt through the roof, right above a large stack of hay. By throwing water on from the inside at that point, and the shower from the brigade’s hose then increasing in volume, the outbreak at that point was luckily beaten. The whole job of saving the surrounding buildings was an equally strong fight. Mr. Rounds speaks most highly for the skill, courage, and hard work the brigade boys put in, and he has asked us to publicly express his admiration of the brigade and gratitude for the good work they did. As it is his insurance will cover only about half the loss, so that he is likely to be about $5000 to the bad. But for the good work of the brigade, his loss would be much heavier. Rounds had a considerable loss once before, but that was away back in 1886, when a warehouse in the same spot was destroyed. At that time there was no insurance on the buildings so his loss was total. The origin of Sunday’s fire is a mystery.
Gasoline Explosion Responsible for Bad Blaze in Clothes Cleaning Shop of Cameron & Son
[Welland Telegraph, 14 January 1912]
THE INJURED
Archibald Cameron, face and hands burned.
Charles Cameron, face and hands seriously burned.
W.F. Wright, hair singed and face slightly scorched.
THE FIRE
Charles Stewart’s two-storey frame building on East main street-partially destroyed.
Cameron & Son’s cleaning and pressing shop completely gutted.
I.E. Wills’ barber shop, damaged by fire and water.
INSURANCE AND LOSS
Charles Stewart, owner of the building-$1500.
I.E. Wills’ barber shop-$500.
Cameron & Son-$500.
An explosion of gasoline in the cleaning and pressing shop of Cameron & Son, East Main Street, started a fire in the two-storey frame business owned by Chas. Stewart, which had not only partly destroyed the building but completely gutted the cleaning and pressing establishment and damaged the barber shop of I.E. Wills, which occupies one half of the building. Mr. Stewart has living apartments on the second storey but the flames were checked before the fire spread to that floor.
TWO BADLY BURNED
Just what caused the explosion is not known. Mr. Cameron and his son were at work cleaning clothes, and were using gasoline. W.F. Wright, organizer of the I.O.F., was in the shop waiting to discuss a business matter with Mr. Cameron, who is financial secretary of the I.O.F. This was about 12.45.
GASOLINE BECAME IGNITED
What ignited the gasoline is not known but a sheet of flame suddenly shot up, setting fire to the clothing of Mr. Cameron and his son, and to everything in the building of an inflammable nature. Mr. Wright was standing near the door and only the outer edge of the flame caused by the explosion touched him. He grabbed a coat and wrapped it around Mr. Cameron and this extinguished his burning clothing. Charles Cameron was in the rear of the burning section and had to come through the flames to reach the door. It was in doing this that he was so badly burned. When the door was reached it was impossible to open it for a time, the spring lock having caught. The combined efforts of Mr. Wright and Mr. Cameron, however, succeeded in opening it.
The eleven year old daughter of Mr. Cameron was standing at the door at the time of the explosion, but she escaped without injury.
Medical assistance was immediately called and the two injured men were taken home and their burns dressed.
USED EXTINGUISHERS
An alarm was immediately turned in and the hose reel from the fire hall almost directly across the street was brought over. A stream of water was soon playing on the flames and the fire brought under control. Several fire extinguishers from the Grand Theatre was also used to good effect. The cleaning and pressing machinery of Cameron & Son and the clothing belonging to customers which was in the shop at the time was all completely destroyed. The loss of the firm will be about five hundred dollars, which is covered by insurance.
Mr. Wills’ loss will also amount to about $500 as nearly everything in the barber shop was drenched with water. Insurances will cover this.
Mr. Stewart estimates the damage to the building at $1500, fully covered by insurance.
The courage and presence of mind of Mr. Wright was responsible for saving Mr. Cameron, sr., from perhaps fatal burns. As it is he is in a dangerous state.
[Welland Tribune, 26 December 1902]
Mr. Clarence Morin was severely but not dangerously burned on Christmas eve. He was at the residence of Mr. H.L. Frost, impersonating Santa Claus at a Christmas tree function. The tree caught fire from one of the candles, and Clarence’s Santa Claus beard and other fixtures ignited from the blaze. For a few moments Clarence was enveloped in fire, but fortunately through the presence of mind of those present the flames were quickly smothered. One side of his face and one arm, however, were severely burned, but we are glad to know that the injuries are not dangerous nor likely to leave permanent results.
A heavy curtain which had been used to smother the flames was thrown out on the back verandah, and no further attention was paid to it until Willie Sidey came to the door and said the verandah was afire. The curtain had had some fire in it when thrown out and it took several pails of water to extinguish the fire in the verandah.
The Fire Fiend Still Pursueth the Crysler Family
Millinery Shop Wrecked by Fire and Water
[Welland Tribune, 19 February 1892]
At 5 o’clock last Sunday morning, fire broke out in the millinery shop of Mrs. John A. Crysler, next to Imperial bank, Muir street, Welland. Mrs. Crysler was awakened by the smoke and ran out and alarmed mine host Seigelhurst of the Commerial. Chris. loaded his cannon and fired a royal salute with great gusto frightening the neighbors out of their wits. The bell rang out a fiery peal, and the firemen had the water pouring on the flames before the fire had made much headway and squelched it quickly. The building was damaged to the extent of a couple of hundred dollars, probably. What stock there was in the place was ruined by fire and water and smoke, and is a total loss. Mrs. Crysler estimated the loss on stock and furniture at from $1500 to $2000, of which there is an insurance of $1000, payable to Reid, Taylor & Bain of Toronto, as their interest appears. Messrs. Swayze & Son issued the policies on stock. The building was insured to fully cover all losses, by policies issued by McCollum & Son, St. Catharines. Adjusters were at work yesterday, but their verdict as to amount of loss could not be obtained.
Fire, has been a singularly persisted visitor to the Chrysler properties, they having previously had losses at Fonthill and Fort Erie.
[Welland Tribune, 19 August 1875]
On Saturday afternoon about five o’clock, Mr. Lock’s hotel was discovered to be on fire. The alarm was given, and the firemen were promptly on the ground, and after working vigorously for twenty minutes, succeeded in extinguishing the flames. The building was considerably damaged, and the furniture must have been more or less injured by hasty removal. The building and contents were partially insured. Had it not been for the promptitude of the fire company and the excellent working of the engine and hose, the hotel could not have been saved.
Fire: 16 August 1875
[Welland Telegraph, 15 December 1885]
A little before five o’clock on Wednesday morning, a fire was discovered in the house on Division St., owned and occupied by Mr. G.C. Campbell, barber. Mr. Campbell had barely time to get his wife and four little children out before the whole building was completely enveloped in flames.
The house was a frame one, very dry, and burned with almost incredible rapidity. Luckily the wind was blowing from the west and the lot to the east being vacant, the fire was confined to the one building. On account of the wind, partly we suppose, the alarm bell was scarcely two blocks distant from the fire hall, and many who heard it thought it was simply the six o’clock bell ringing. There was some delay in getting up steam on the engine, but under the circumstances it would not have availed much towards saving the house, had the engine been there and ready almost as soon as the fire was discovered.
Mr. Campbell is known as a hard working and thrifty citizen and many are the expressions of sympathy with him in his loss, and the destruction of the comfortable home he had made for himself by his own industry. The origin of the fire at present is unknown. We understand there was an insurance of $400 in the Norwich Union, on the furniture and $500 in the Northern Co., on the building.
Old Mattress in Closet Was Ablaze at Burgar Street House
FIREMEN ON THE JOB
Made Short Work of it-Used Big Chemicals
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 15 December 1921]
Another of a series of mysterious fires broke out in Welland last night at 9.20. This time it was in a house on Burgar Street, opposite Sam Lambert’s mill.
Its origins cannot be explained. The house was empty and had been for a week and as far as is known nobody was in the place during the day.
Chief Stapf said that when the trucks arrived the house was filled with smoke and the fire was discovered in a small closet under the stairway on the ground floor where an old mattress was stored.
Not much damage was done due to the fast work of the Brigade, and with the use of the big chemicals everybody was ready to go back to the station five minutes after they reached the house.
A young lad named Fielding, who was going past the house, noticed the smoke and ran to T. Woodhead’s residence where the alarm was phoned in. The men found the back door open and were at work without delay.
The house belonged to Mal Nix, who bought it but a short time ago, and who is preparing to move in.
Seen by the Tribune and Telegraph this morning, Mal Nix said he bought the house from S.L. Lambert on the first of the month. He paid $800 on account for it. He heard the alarm last night, but had no idea that the house on fire was his. The first he knew of the affair was this morning when he came to work.
Mr. Nix further said that although he had bought the house he had not received any papers relative to the sale. He did not know whether the house was insured, but he presumed it was.
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