Great Fire of Toronto (1904)

The fire of Toronto 1904 was a big fire that occurred in downtown Toronto on April 19, 1904.

The fire was discovered by a patrolling police officer at 20:04 clock. The flames got out of the elevator shaft of a factory building in Wellington Street West, west of Bay Street, on. The factory was at that time the center of a long-range industrial and commercial area. The exact cause is still unknown; It is however assumed a technical operator error or an electrical problem. The fire spread further and could be brought only after nine hours under control. The flames and the soot could be seen several kilometers away. The fire department in Toronto received support from Hamilton and even from the U.S., Buffalo. The fire-fighting operations on the night of 19 to 20 April were hampered by strong winds with snow squalls and temperatures up to -4 ° C.

The fire destroyed 104 buildings, with damage amounting to $ 10,350,000 and brought 5000 people short or medium term unemployment. However, it was killed not a person. Toronto had just over 200,000 inhabitants at this time. As a result of the accident stringent safety regulations have been adopted and expanded the municipal fire department. It is the largest fire in the city's history.