IT was an event that captured national headlines and has since passed into Clacton folklore.

On June 4, 1939, a major fire ripped through the former Lewellen’s department store, sending 50ft flames shooting into the air and creating a pillar of smoke that could be seen from as far as Frinton, Dovercourt and Brightlingsea.

The town became the subject of hourly BBC news bulletins and, the following morning, every national newspaper carried stories on the events of the preceding day.

The Daily Mirror, in particular, devoted the whole of its front page and centre page spread to them.

So what was it that caused Clacton to become the focus of such widespread national attention?

This was how the Clacton newspaper, the Clacton News, described it: “Amid crashing walls, loud explosions and bursting glass, firemen, watched by hundreds of enthralled spectators, battled against a blazing inferno which destroyed a block of buildings in Pier Avenue, Clacton.”

That fire has now passed into folklore as the “Lewellen’s Fire”.

The fire started somewhere between 2.45pm and 3pm on the afternoon of June 4, 1939, and was first spotted by Violet Burke, the cook at the Bohemian Café, next door to Lewellen’s.

She saw that a shed, dustbin and other material were on fire in Lewellen’s yard and, at 3.06pm, the manageress phoned the fire brigade.

Chief officer W H Woods, with three men and the Leyland turntable machine, left immediately, followed by second officer Curtis and seven men shortly afterwards.

About 40 minutes later, Colchester Fire Brigade arrived, along with 40 members of the Clacton ARP Auxiliary Fire Service.

By now, a vast crowd of sightseers had gathered.

Flames were shooting as high as 50ft and a pillar of smoke could be seen from as far away as Frinton, Dovercourt and Brightlingsea as debris and ash from the fire were blown all over Clacton.

By about 5.30pm, thanks to the unceasing efforts of the fire brigade, the fire gradually began to burn itself out and, at 6pm, chief officer Woods announced that he considered the fire now under control.

At 8am the next morning, large numbers of sightseers gathered to gaze upon a scene of utter desolation never before equalled in the town’s history.

What was once the most imposing block of shops in the town was now a mass of twisted girders and fallen masonry.

Although referred to as the Lewellen’s Fire, many other shops and businesses were either totally or partially destroyed and were not rebuilt until well into the 1950s.