24JUN1861, Great London Fire

LONDON, Monday, June 24th, 1861.
—Most tremendous accts. of the fire in the papers : the greatest since 1666 ! It is along a whole line of warehouses on the banks of the river, full of every sort of store—oil, tallow, cheese, bacon, sugar, cotton, hops, saltpetre, and what not ; and so fierce that the " fireproof " buildings seem to become red hot, and are of no avail. The neighbouring street (Tooley St.) is ankle deep in hot tallow and the Thames itself blazing with masses of burning oil. The ruins are glowing with white heat, the engines were entirely useless, and the excellent head fireman, Braidwood, is killed, with others. They hope to keep it now from spreading further, but if the wind rose I believe it wd be impossible to check it. Providentially it has been perfectly calm weather hitherto. About 2 millions' worth of damage done.