Great Fire of Toronto (1849)
Great Fire of Toronto (1849) was the first major fire to destroy part of the City and the second in the 19th Century.
The fire began at Post's Tavern, east of Jarvis Street and north of King Street in the early morning of April 7, 1849. This area was the city's early core.[1]
The fire destroyed buildings bounded by King, Church, Adelaide, and Jarvis Streets. Business, homes and the predecessor of the current St. James' Cathedral were destroyed. The buildings burned as most were made of wood and new city by-laws outlawed bricked buildings.[2] There was no fire services then Toronto Fire Department was not created until 1849 and most fire fighting companies were volunteer. With no fire hydrants, water used to fight the fire was retrieved manually from the lake to the south of Front Street.[3]
Most buildings lost were rebuilt after the fire and some were built up to standard like St. Lawrence Hall by avoiding use of wood.
See also
References
- ^ http://www.alanbrown.com/TorontoHistory/Pages_GHI/Great_Fire_of_1849.html
- ^ http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2008/08/21/back-story-burning-questions-about-toronto-s-great-fires.aspx
- ^ http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2008/08/21/back-story-burning-questions-about-toronto-s-great-fires.aspx