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The Bradford Witness decided to release a series of articles from local townspeople on the history of certain events in Bradford and West Gwillimbury's time. This week, the Fire of May 25, 1871, and the businesses which rebuilt on Holland Street after the fire, is the topic.

"The new fire alarm siren has been installed and some time Friday evening an alarm will be sounded to test the system and also the response of the firemen to the new alarm.
The brigade will hold a meeting during the evening to discuss general business."

Article about the Post Office fire which occurred on April 29, 1981.
Photo at the bottom of the article was captioned: "Cleaning Up, I the aftermath of last week's post office fire, postal worker Bill Marks shows a gentleman all that's left of a letter he mailed. In the photo at the right [see Related Description], postmaster Keith Stevens sifts through some of the identifiable mail. While 125 pieces were identified, at least as many - and likely more - were destroyed, Mr. Stevens estimated. More details on this page."

"Rybka Bros. Produce, 251 Holland Street East, Bradford, located immediately west of the C.N.R. station, was completely destroyed by fire, with its contents, late yesterday afternoon." ...

"Firemen were called to The Village Inn about 10 a.m. on Sunday when fire was discovered in one of the bedrooms about two hours after the occupant of the room on the previous night had left the building. The mattress on the bed and the bedding, were burning when firemen entered and these were thrown from a window, thus ending the smoke in the building. It is supposed that a cigarette was the source of the fire."

An undated photo found in the Bradford Witness of Holland Street prior to the 1959 fire which destroyed some of these businesses. The two buildings on the left of the photo were damaged by fire, with the far left one completely destroyed.

The Bradford Witness decided to release a series of articles from local townspeople on the history of certain events in Bradford and West Gwillimbury's time. This week, the Holland River is the topic.

"No cause has yet been determined for a stubborn blaze which broke out in a house at 16 John Street East in Bradford last Tuesday.
The Bradford Fire Department was called out at about 4 pm to quell the blaze which broke out in a back apartment, occupied by Dick Gullinger.
Fire Chief Harold Boyd said the whole apartment was in flamed by the time the firefighters arrived on the scene, and there was no hope of saving it.
The back wall of the house was also badly damaged, and thick smoke made the rest of the house uninhabitable for the occupants of the other two apartments, John Faria Jr., and Louis Dasiba.
"It was a tough one to put out," Chief Boyd said, explaining there were many false ceilings in the old house which had to be torn away to get at the flames.
The chief estimated it took about three hours to put the fire out. The occupants managed to remove most of their belongings during the blaze, and there were no injuries. There has been no estimate of damage."

"While not disparaging the splendid service and fine co-operation of the firemen from neighbouring municipalities, in the battle to save Bradford from more extensive damage from fire last Wednesday, the brunt of the long hours of the fight, and the strain of responsibility, fell upon the home brigade, and their magnificent effort and success merits the gratitude of every Bradford property owner." ...

"When the fire alarm sounded at 4.30 o'clock on Monday afternoon, the billowing smoke at the top of the hill in town confused, giving the impression that the fire was closer and presenting rather an alarming picture. However, when the fire-fighting equipment went on to the brow of the hill, the fire was located on the Stoddart property and it was the barn.
The older timber provided material for a real conflagration and the fire, having gotten away to a good start, was out of hand before the firemen arrived on the scene. All they could do was stand by to protect neighbouring properties.
Later Monday night, with a breeze blowing, the brigade returned when sparks menaced the neighbourhood.
The cause of the fire is unknown."