44 
slept in the garret; and the stair- 
case being in flames, several fire- 
men ascended a ladder to attempt 
the rescue of the unfortunate girl, 
but unhappily the ladder eS be- 
longing to the fire office, but one 
hastily borrowed) broke, and one 
Abraham Merchant, the chief fire- 
man belonging to the two Bath 
fire-offices, fell from the attic 
window on the pavement, and 
was killed on the spot ; leaving a 
widow and eight children, who 
were entirely dependent on his 
exertions for support. By .the 
timely arrival of the engines, and 
great exertion of the persons pre- 
sent, the fire was extinguished 
by three o'clock, after destroying 
the principal part of the property 
on the premises where it origi- 
nated. 
14,.—On this night the neigh- 
bourhood of Spitalfields was 
thrown into universal terror by 
an explosion in the house of one 
Lichileau, in John-Street, Brown- 
street.. This was almost instantly 
succeeded by another, and one 
universal blaze was spread over 
the whole neighbourhood. The 
proprietor was a manufacturer of 
fire-works. In his house were 
deposited several barrels of gun- 
powder which had exploded. The 
house was literally blown up from 
its foundation, and all its inmates 
buried in the ruins. These con- 
sisted of six or eight persons, 
namely, Mr. Lichileau, his wife 
and sister, two other females, ser- 
vants, a Mr.. Oldham, and it is 
feared some others. In the houses 
adjoining also on either side, three 
or four more perished, and a 
number of persons in the sur- 
rounding neighbourhood were 
dreadfully hurt by pieces of glass, 
brick, timber, and other articles, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1515. 
falling upon them, or being forced 
into the windows by the effects of 
the explosion. The house of Mr. 
Lichileau was situate within two 
doors of the brewery of Truman 
and Hanbury, and within four 
doorsof Brown-street, where there 
is a meeting of three others ; and 
such was the effect of these dread- 
ful explosions, that itnot only con- 
sumed the two adjoining houses, 
but nearly destroyed four others, 
and injured some hundreds, forc- 
ing itself round the corners, and 
spreading destruction down the 
streets, the whole exhibiting a 
terrible picture of havoc and de- 
struction. At two o’clock on Sa- 
turday the engines continued to 
play upon the ruins, while at each 
house some of the wretched vic- 
tims who had fallen were disco- 
vered, and dragged forth in a mu- 
tilated state. At three o’clock 
the remains of Mrs. Lichileau, 
her sister, and that of a female 
servant, had been taken out, and 
deposited in the bone-room of 
Spitalfields-church. — The fire is 
said to have been occasioned: by 
Mr. Lichileau striking a light, to 
look for some squibs which two 
boys came to purchase. 
Leicester, July 15.—Last night 
a dreadful catastrophe occurredin 
this neighbourhood. Two coaches 
that run daily from Hinckley to 
Leicester had set out in the even- 
ing. The first having descended 
the hill that leads to Leicester, 
was obliged to stop. to repair the 
harness. The other’ coachman 
from the top of the’ hill saw the 
accident, and seized the moment 
to give his antagonist the go by, 
and immediately flogged hishorses 
into a gallop down the hill. The 
horses contrived to keep on their 
legs, but in the midst of their 
