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FIRE AT HILSEA.
About quarter past twelve o’clock on Tuesday a fire occurred at Hilsea which resulted in the almost total destruction of two cottages, one a double fronted building occupied by Mr. Thomas Copsey, jun., wheelwright, and the other by Thomas Moore, a carter in the employ of Mr. Copsey, senior, manager of the adjacent farm, which is in the occupation of Mr. Padwick. The cottages in question are situate on the old London road, a few yards from the junction with the new road leading to Cosham, and immediately opposite the Hilsea Garrison Church. In the immediate rear of the cottages are the premises of Mr. Copsey, wheelwright. At the time mentioned George Henry Catmore, a wheelwright, was engaged with other workmen in binding a wheel, when he suddenly noticed that a gust of wind had blown a spark from the spot where they were working to the thatched roof of the cottages. In a moment the roof was ablaze, and it was at first thought that the powerful wind, which was exceedingly choppy, would carry the conflagration to the buildings in the immediate vicinity, most of which were very old, roofed with thatch, and built of wood, which had been liberally tarred from time to time for many years past. An alarm was instantly given, and while one messenger was despatched to Hilsea Barracks for assistance from the military authorities the workmen set themselves with a will to the task of extinguishing the flames, and, a tank full of water being close by, buckets were passed from hand to hand, and there was at one time a prospect of keeping the fire under, when several gusts of wind carried the flames right along the roofs. The manual engine from Hilsea Barracks speedily arrived and soon got into play, being fed from the plug immediately opposite the burning buildings. Notwithstanding the good supply of water and the energetic efforts of the men of the 69th and 80th Field Batteries Royal Artillery, who turned out in large numbers to render assistance, the flames gained a thorough ascendency, and very shortly the cottages were in ruins, though it is satisfactory to know that the occupants were rescued, and a large portion of the furniture was taken to a place of safety. The cottages, like all the other property in the vicinity of Hilsea, belong to the Crown, and had been each insured by Mr. Padwick, the lessee, in the Sun Fire Office for £70. Mr. Copsey’s furniture was also insured in the Sun Office for £100, but the furniture of Moore, the carter, was unfortunately uninsured. Owing to the faulty means of communication between Hilsea and the Portsmouth Police-stations, only tardy notice of the fire was received by the Portsmouth Brigade. The fire engine was at once despatched from headquarters and a hose reel from Buckland, but when they reached the spot their services were found to be too late to avail.
— Portsmouth Evening News, Wednesday 23 August 1893 source
There are a few examples of the engine from Hilsea Barracks being called to a local fire (eg the Oct 1870 Destruction By Fire of the Coach and Horses). I wonder if barracks engines were generally considered available for public emergencies across the country. Did municipal planning have that assumption based in?