October 29, 1972

Spectacular fire in 100ft. Old Town building

HULL DETECTIVES were today sifting through charred rubbish to find the cause of a spectacular blaze in the early hours of the morning in the Old Town.

One casualty was the studio of Hull and East Riding Hospital Broadcasting Service and, though £2,000 worth of valuable equipment on the top floor of the Queen street building was saved, firemen were this afternoon sheeting the roof so that tomorrow's bedside broadcast can go ahead.

The derelict building of W.G. Transport Services in Queen Street, was burned out and the fire spread along the roofing of occupied parts in the four storey block, causing serious damage to the roof of several properties

At the height of the blaze, flames leapt 15ft. into the air from the top of the 100ft. - high block.

The fire was spotted shortly after 3am and was well alight when Hull fire brigade arrived.

Occupiers of other premises in the block were called out and police directed traffic away from the scene as firemen fought the blaze from Queen Street and Wellington Street.

UP STAIRCASE

The fire is believed to have started somewhere near the staircase on the ground floor of the transport firm's empty premises.

It worked its way up the staircase, which acted as a flue, then spread along the roof void, badly damaging the roof above John Hudson (Turf Accountant) and Humber Rubber and Engineers supplies.

The Hospital Broadcasting Services studios are on the top floor at the end of the block, and firemen had to cut away part of the roofing, in the room next to where valuable equipment was stored.

Mr Norman McLachlan, owner of CarloPratti's cafe, next door to the transport firm's empty premises, said he was called out at about 3:30am.

'When I arrived the blaze was spectacular, Flames were coming from the roof and at one stage they were seen from Albert Dock,' he said.

His cafe was not affected.

STILL CHECKING

Mr Ken Fulstow, secretary of the Hospital Broadcasting Service, said a programme due to go out live to local hospitals tomorrow afternoon would still go ahead.

'We are still checking exactly what damage has been done. Firemen cut away part of the roof above a meeting room, but the equipment was stored next door. We may even find ourselves without a home if the owners think the building is too old to repair.' said Mr Fulstow.

The service, which has been going for 11 years - four of them from the present studio - is heard in five local hospitals.

THROUGH ROOF

Fire - fighting operations were led by the Chief Fire Officer, Mr Frank Longbone.

A brigade spokesman said: 'the fire had obviously been going for some considerable time when we arrived. Flames were coming from the top floor and through the roof.

'We got it under control in half an hour and it was out at 5am. We spent the next four hours damping down and cutting away.' he said.

The spokesman said the occupiers were called to the scene because of a danger of the fire spreading.

'The staircase of the empty premises was gutted and the rest of the building burned out. It could have developed into a serious fire if we had not managed to stop it before it spread,' he said.

The brigade used a water tender, two hydraulic platforms, a turntable ladder and a control unit to fight the blaze.

The spokesman said the cause of the fire was being recorded as 'doubtful'.

'We don't think there was anything particularly fishy about it and there are no signs to say it was deliberate. It might have been caused by a tramp discarding a lighted cigarette.' he said.

Chief Supt. John Crawley, deputy head of Hull CID said; ' We have no reason to think it is arson, but we are making our usual routine inquiries.'