Mexborough & Swinton Times, September 30, 1932

Lorry Blaze

Fierce Outbreak at Billingley

Narrow Escapes

The driver and mate of a heavy lorry had a narrow escape of being burned when the vehicle caught fire on the main road between Doncaster and Barnsley, at Billingley Green, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The lorry, a Beardmore with super-imposed trailer, was burned out, and flames rising to a height of 25 feet brought down twenty-five telephone wires,

The driver, Fred Winsey, 31, Buckingham Avenue, Scunthorpe, was taking a load of sixteen tons of steel billets from Scunthorpe to Stockport, with Baden Hancock, Station Road, Keadby, as his mate.

The lorry had reached a point a quarter of a mile from the Darfield cross roads, when the driver noticed a small flame in the undercarriage. He pulled the vehicle up and with his mate had Just time to jump clear when the lorry burst into flames.

The mate rushed back to Goldthorpe police station, two miles away. The driver went to the garage at the cross roads and roused Mr. J. Camplejohn. Communication was obtained with the police at Wombwell and while Sergt. Grantham went out in a light car, P.c. Chillas rode two miles to the scene of the fire on a bicycle.

It was impossible to save the lorry, but the trailer was disconnected and the rear portion saved. Owing to the intense heat, the macadam in the road was also net alight. The flames could be seen for miles.

The driver told our representative that he jumped clear in the nick of time. A moment later and he would have been enveloped in flames. He managed to snatch the extinguisher but it was of little use and the heat prevented them approaching the lorry. The two police officers, the driver and mate and Mr. Camplejohn finally subdued the fire with loose sand from the roadside.

The owner of the lorry is Thomas Carey, haulage contractor, Smith Street. Scunthorpe.