On Thursday morning there was considerable excitement at the large C.W.S. boot factory in Portland Road, when it was discovered during the night that part of the roof had been smouldering.

Mr. George Barker, the boilerman, who was the first to arrive on the premises, noticed that a portion of the roof over the lavatories in the welted department (which is on the top floor) was smoking. Obtaining aid from Mr. George Dean, who is a member of the C.W.S. Fire brigade, and the engineer, he used patent extinguishers on the affected part and the danger to the premises was speedily removed. Already some damage had been done to the roofing.

How the trouble started is fairly clear. A large chute from the finishing room has its outlet at the roof level and a quantity of leather dust had settled upon the slates. It was probably a spark from the chimney of the boiler house that caused the smouldering to commence during the night.