# Fire in London
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [November 12, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123 "2007-11-12T12:54:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/1 "2007-11-12T12:54:52Z")
CNN and other outlets are reporting that there is a fire pouring black smoke over east London. Police do not suspect terrorism. Witnesses report the smoke is chemically.
London dopers, check in!
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### Author:  [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/2 "2007-11-12T13:01:52Z")
Here is a link to a UK version BBC article about it titled: [Major fire at Olympic Games site](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7090725.stm).
[QUOTE=The BBC]
A huge blaze has broken out in east London close to where the main stadium for the London Olympics will be built.
The London Fire Brigade were called just after 1200 GMT on Monday to reports of a huge blaze in Waterden Road, Stratford.
About 40 firefighters are tackling the fire which has created a huge plume of black smoke that can be seen across the city’s skyline.
[/QUOTE]
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/3 "2007-11-12T14:13:58Z")
Some of our maids sitting up late last night to get things ready against our feast today, Jane called up about three in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City. So I rose, and slipped on my night-gown and went to her window, and thought it to be near the Wharf of ye Canaries at the farthest; but, being unused to such fires as followed, I thought it far enough off, and so went to bed again, and to sleep… So I made myself ready presently, and walked to the Tower; and there got up upon one of the high places, and there I did see a warehouse all on fire, and an infinite great fire at that.
Thence to Whitehall, where I urined and later dined hastily on a sack-posset from Mrs Miggins’s fine establishment. I hied me to my Lord Mayor, who was dallying with the idea of imposing a charge of two groats for horses to enter Cheapside. Rousing him from his avaricious reveries I appraised him of the conflagration, and he became all afluster and began to weep, fearing for the Olympic budgets which even now exceedeth one thousand guineas, 3s 6d. Compassionat as I am, I lended him use of my “iPhone” in order that he call the fire services that they might assay to quench the flames. My Lord Mayor was alas overly enchanted by the “touche-screene”, forgetting to notify the fire-men, and having excused himself unto another room, did not reappear. I, 'pon waiting ten minutes, proceeded to the privy, only to find him in a state of gross indecency, perusing the “webbe-syte” known as [cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk](http://cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk).
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/4 "2007-11-12T14:21:01Z")
Hmmm…
Raging Fire + Nearby Public Venue of Immense Importance =…_Profit_?
I smell petrol & matches, so to speak.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/5 "2007-11-12T14:43:18Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
Some of our maids sitting up late last night to get things ready against our feast today, Jane called up about three in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City. So I rose, and slipped on my night-gown and went to her window, and thought it to be near the Wharf of ye Canaries at the farthest; but, being unused to such fires as followed, I thought it far enough off, and so went to bed again, and to sleep… So I made myself ready presently, and walked to the Tower; and there got up upon one of the high places, and there I did see a warehouse all on fire, and an infinite great fire at that.
Thence to Whitehall, where I urined and later dined hastily on a sack-posset from Mrs Miggins’s fine establishment. I hied me to my Lord Mayor, who was dallying with the idea of imposing a charge of two groats for horses to enter Cheapside. Rousing him from his avaricious reveries I appraised him of the conflagration, and he became all afluster and began to weep, fearing for the Olympic budgets which even now exceedeth one thousand guineas, 3s 6d. Compassionat as I am, I lended him use of my “iPhone” in order that he call the fire services that they might assay to quench the flames. My Lord Mayor was alas overly enchanted by the “touche-screene”, forgetting to notify the fire-men, and having excused himself unto another room, did not reappear. I, 'pon waiting ten minutes, proceeded to the privy, only to find him in a state of gross indecency, perusing the “webbe-syte” known as [cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk](http://cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk).
[/QUOTE]
God you’re weird.
Good weird.
Hell’s bells of course you just burn down the old warehouse that you had to demo anyway for the Olympic village. That way, instead of paying some company to take it apart, you get the insurance company to pay. That’s what warehouse fires in NYC are for anyway.
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### Author:  [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/6 "2007-11-12T14:47:01Z")
Oh, pish. A woman might piss it [out](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bloodworth).
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### Author:  [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/7 "2007-11-12T15:05:01Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
Some of our maids sitting up late last night to get things ready against our feast today, Jane called up about three in the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City. So I rose, and slipped on my night-gown and went to her window, and thought it to be near the Wharf of ye Canaries at the farthest; but, being unused to such fires as followed, I thought it far enough off, and so went to bed again, and to sleep… So I made myself ready presently, and walked to the Tower; and there got up upon one of the high places, and there I did see a warehouse all on fire, and an infinite great fire at that.
Thence to Whitehall, where I urined and later dined hastily on a sack-posset from Mrs Miggins’s fine establishment. I hied me to my Lord Mayor, who was dallying with the idea of imposing a charge of two groats for horses to enter Cheapside. Rousing him from his avaricious reveries I appraised him of the conflagration, and he became all afluster and began to weep, fearing for the Olympic budgets which even now exceedeth one thousand guineas, 3s 6d. Compassionat as I am, I lended him use of my “iPhone” in order that he call the fire services that they might assay to quench the flames. My Lord Mayor was alas overly enchanted by the “touche-screene”, forgetting to notify the fire-men, and having excused himself unto another room, did not reappear. I, 'pon waiting ten minutes, proceeded to the privy, only to find him in a state of gross indecency, perusing the “webbe-syte” known as [cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk](http://cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk).
[/QUOTE]
Absolute class mate, absolute class. I read a biography of Pepys a little while ago and you’ve got it spot on!
Of course, thinking about Ken in a state of gross indecency did make me throw up in my mouth a little, but it was worth it!
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### Author:  [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/8 "2007-11-12T15:13:56Z")
Thy webbe syte doest not worketh ye peasant., forsoothe and gadzooks
Away with me to Mrs Wiggins pie shoppe
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/9 "2007-11-12T15:25:10Z")
[QUOTE=chowder]
Thy webbe syte doest not worketh ye peasant., forsoothe and gadzooks
[/QUOTE]
Why doth it not surprise me that thou looked? 😉
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### Author:  [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/10 "2007-11-12T15:33:50Z")
Any of you blokes an architect?
Hope all are safe. Sounds like–and full of piss and vinegar, too. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/11 "2007-11-12T15:39:35Z")
Absolutely brilliant, jjimm.
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/12 "2007-11-12T16:30:33Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
who was dallying with the idea of imposing a charge of two groats for horses to enter Cheapside.
[/QUOTE]
Don’t give him ideas!
I had cause to enquire about this recently, and while they’re not on the [list of exemptions](http://www.cclondon.com/exemptions.shtml), a phone call to them advised me that ridden animals and animal-drawn vehicles are actually exempt from the Congestion Charge.
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/13 "2007-11-12T16:51:04Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
I, 'pon waiting ten minutes, proceeded to the privy, only to find him in a state of gross indecency, perusing the “webbe-syte” known as [cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk](http://cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk).
[/QUOTE]
A mighty lewd webbe-syte, but yet not amiss for a sober man once to look over to inform himself in the villainy of the world; a lewd webbe-syte, but what do no wrong once to read for information sake…\*
\*Pepys’ diary entry for February 9, 1668; I can’t find the online cite, sorry.
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### Author:  [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/14 "2007-11-12T19:09:57Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
,snip\>I appraised him of the conflagration, and he became all afluster and began to weep, fearing for the Olympic budgets which even now exceedeth one thousand guineas, 3s 6d. Compassionat as I am, I lended him use of my “iPhone” in order that he call the fire services that they might assay to quench the flames. \ in a state of gross indecency, perusing the “webbe-syte” known as [cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk](http://cutenewtsanddirtywenches.co.uk).
[/QUOTE]
Can you apprise us of the appraisal?
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### Author:  [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/15 "2007-11-12T21:16:53Z")
We just had two large explosions/fires in the Cleveland area within a couple of weeks of each other. One of them burned (the train fire) for 24 hours.
And London gets all the press? Hmmph.
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### Author:  [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/16 "2007-11-13T02:28:19Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz]
Don’t give him ideas!
I had cause to enquire about this recently, and while they’re not on the [list of exemptions](http://www.cclondon.com/exemptions.shtml), a phone call to them advised me that ridden animals and animal-drawn vehicles are actually exempt from the Congestion Charge.
[/QUOTE]
…Ooo. There was a pitcher here the other week of some dude in Kentucky I think, who up and decided to use his horse to ride for errands instead of cars all thanks to the gas prices. Not that they really hold a candle to UK petrol prices, egads and forsooth. :eek:
Former coworker who’s now back in N Ireland told us that his mother’s wee car involves the equivalent of USD$84. Double :eek:
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### Author:  [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2007, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/17 "2007-11-13T07:30:45Z")
[QUOTE=Dorjän]
We just had two large explosions/fires in the Cleveland area within a couple of weeks of each other. One of them burned (the train fire) for 24 hours.
And London gets all the press? Hmmph.
[/QUOTE]
That’s CLEVELAND. Your river’s caught fire. Wasn’t that enough negative press?
disclaimer: Actually, I was born in Cleveland myself
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### Author:  [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2007, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/18 "2007-11-13T11:51:54Z")
Nice one, **jjimm**. 😃
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### Author:  [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2007, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fire-in-london/426123/19 "2007-11-13T12:04:13Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby]
Hope all are safe. Sounds like–and full of **piss and vinegar** , too. 🙂
[/QUOTE]
> [@jjimm](#):
>
> Thence to Whitehall, \*\*where I urined \*\* and later dined hastily on a sack-posset from Mrs Miggins’s fine establishment.
Nope, just vinegar.