THE grandson of one of the first firemen at the Crystal Palace fire joined residents to mark the 65th anniversary of the blaze.
Chris Stone, whose grandfather, Albert Stone, was with the Penge brigade, spoke about the fateful night at Crystal Palace Lodge, in Crystal Palace Park.
Joining him at the Crystal Palace Foundation event was historian Ian Bevan, who gave a lecture on the history of the landmark which burned down on November 30, 1936. The Crystal Palace was built in Hyde Park in 1851 to house the country's first international exhibition.
When the exhibition ended six months later, Sir Joseph Paxton, the building's architect, raised money for the building to be re-erected in Crystal Palace Park.
Many historians think the fire may have begun with an electrical spark, but the actual cause will probably never be known.
December 6, 2001 9:39
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