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Toronto’s biggest fire was visible from Buffalo, they sent a crew to help

Theo

This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast from Chris Mei of The Weather Network, featuring stories about people, communities, and events and how the weather impacts them.

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On Tuesday, April 19, 1904, a Toronto police officer was doing his job keeping the city safe when he saw flames coming from the E & S Currie Limited tie factory at 58 Wellington Street. West.

He spotted the fire at 8:04 p.m. in what is now the TD Bank Tower. Immediately, 17 fire stations were alerted.

Then-Mayor Thomas Urquhart messaged the deputy fire chief to see if he needed help. The MP said: “We need all the help we can get. »

The fire was visible from Buffalo, New York. Firefighters from the American city came to help put out the fire.

Front Street West, looking east from Bay Street, April 1904 Photographer: WJ Whittingham / City of Toronto Archives (Fonds 1408, item 2)Front Street West, looking east from Bay Street, April 1904 Photographer: WJ Whittingham / City of Toronto Archives (Fonds 1408, item 2)

Front Street West, looking east from Bay Street, April 1904 Photographer: WJ Whittingham / City of Toronto Archives (Fonds 1408, item 2)

Front Street West. April 1904. Courtesy photographer: WJ Whittingham/City of Toronto Archives (Fonds 1408, item 2)

It was a windy night, which allowed the fire to spread quickly. The fire lasted nine hours, destroying more than 100 buildings. Wellington West and Yonge Streets were not badly damaged because the Kilgour Brothers factory had a sprinkler system that was still effective.

Area of ​​the Great Toronto Fire of 1904 showing the affected Wholesale District (MAPS-R-71)Area of ​​the Great Toronto Fire of 1904 showing the affected Wholesale District (MAPS-R-71)

Area of ​​the Great Toronto Fire of 1904 showing the affected Wholesale District (MAPS-R-71)

“Fire insurance map showing area damaged by fire.” Courtesy of Wikipedia

John Croft is the only one to have died. He was an expert in explosives and died cleaning up the ruins of the fire.

Clearing after the fire, looking southeast from near Bay Street, April 1904 City of Toronto Archives (series 402, item 8)Clearing after the fire, looking southeast from near Bay Street, April 1904 City of Toronto Archives (series 402, item 8)

Clearing after the fire, looking southeast from near Bay Street, April 1904 City of Toronto Archives (series 402, item 8)

Cleaning up after the fire. April 1904. Courtesy City of Toronto Archives (Series 402, Item 8)

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Although the fire was officially “under control” by 4:30 a.m. the next morning, small fires broke out sporadically over the next few days. The remains of the fire smoldered for two weeks.

The fire, dubbed the Great Toronto Fire of 1904, was the city’s largest fire to date. Fifteen years before, a fire broke out in the city’s St. Lawrence Market area, but it was much smaller.

To learn more about the Great Toronto Fire of 1904, listen to today’s episode of “This Day In Weather History.”

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Vignette: Front Street after the fire. Courtesy of Wikipedia

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