Four-part drama series inspired by the historical events of 1666 and focusing on events which led to the catastrophic fire. As the fire gains strength, Thomas bursts into sister-in-law Sarah Farriner's lodgings to wake his family and lead them to safety. But Sarah is nowhere to be seen and their shouts for her in the street yield nothing. Thomas has no idea that Sarah is being held in a private cell at Newgate Prison, waiting to be interrogated by Lord Denton about a Catholic plot to murder the King. Samuel Pepys brings news of the fire's spread to the King at the Palace of Whitehall and he follows Pepys' advice to survey the damage for himself from the safety of the river. From this vantage point the King is shocked into action, ordering his advisors to tear down buildings to create fire-breaks and to compensate the public for damage.