Transcription
FIRE AT WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.
On Saturday night, about an hour and a half after the performance was concluded at ASTLEY;S, a dreadful fire broke out in the Coffee-room, and from thence communicated to the Theatre and adjoining houses. Such was the fury with which it burned, that before its ravage could be subdued, it entirely consumed the premises in which it originated, together with the whole range of buildings in the rear, called Stangate-street, (except the corner one) and five in front, beside damaging many others. The whole number of houses thus destroyed amounts to between fifteen and twenty.
The exertions of ASTLEY, junior, to save his property, endangered his life more than once. The horses were got out of the stables on the first alarm, by the timely assistance of several of the performers, who were at the time in the Pheasant public house, not a wreck of which is left behind.
The loss sustained on the occasion is very considerable; ASTLEY’S alone is computed at 30,000l. He was insured at the Phoenix Office for considerably less than half that sum.
It is said to have been entirely accidental. Fortunately no lives were lost.
