Meantime no efforts had been made to stop the progress of the original conflagration in Pudding-lane, which continued to rage with the greatest fury, spreading from house to house with astonishing rapidity.  All the buildings in this neighbourhood being old, and of wood, which was as dry as tinder, a spark alighting upon them would have sufficed to set them on fire.  It may be conceived, therefore, what must have been the effect of a vast volume of flame, fanned by a powerful wind.  House after house caught, as if constructed of touchwood, and the fire roared and raged to such a degree, that those who stood by were too much terrified to render any effectual assistance.  Indeed, the sole thought that now seemed to influence all was the preservation of a portion of their property.  No one regarded his neighbour, or the safety of the city.  The narrow street was instantly filled with goods and furniture of all kinds, thrown out of the windows or pushed out of the doors; but such was the fierceness of the fire, and the extraordinary rapidity with which it advanced, that the very articles attempted to be saved were seized by it, and thus formed a means of conveying it to the opposite houses.

In this way a number of persons were inclosed for a short time between two fires, and seemed in imminent danger of being burned to death.  The perilous nature of their situation was, moreover, increased by a sudden and violent gust of wind, which, blowing the flames right across the street, seemed to envelop all within them.  The shrieks that burst from the poor creatures thus involved were most appalling.  Fortunately, they sustained no greater damage than was occasioned by the fright and a slight scorching, for the next moment the wind shifted, and, sweeping back the flames, they were enabled to effect their retreat.  Chowles and Judith were among the sufferers, and in the alarm of the moment lost all the booty they had obtained.

Soon after this the whole street was on fire.  All idea of preserving their property was therefore abandoned by the inhabitants, and they thought only of saving themselves.  Hundreds of half-naked persons of both sexes rushed towards Thames-street in search of a place of refuge.  The scene was wholly without parallel for terror.  Many fires had occurred in London, but none that raged with such fierceness as the present conflagration, or promised to be so generally destructive.  It gathered strength and fury each moment, now rising high into the air in a towering sheet of flame, now shooting forward like an enormous dragon vomiting streams of fire upon its foes.  All at once the flames changed colour, and were partially obscured by a thick black smoke.  A large warehouse filled with resin, tar, and other combustible matters, had caught fire, and the dense vapour proceeded from the burning pitch.  But it cleared off in a few minutes, and the flames burnt more brightly and fiercely than ever.