Infamous fires throughout history

5/30/2019 (Permalink)

No one plans to have a fire, but if it happens, SERVPRO is ready to help!

Some of the more famous fires in history:

• Rome 64 AD.  Approximately 70% of Rome burned, and no, Nero did not fiddle while it burned.  The fiddle wasn’t invented for another 100 years.  But, Nero did build a huge palace for himself on the ashes in the best section in town.
• Great Chicago Fire Oct, 1871.  250 people lost their lives, and 17,000 structures were lost.  People knew they were going to lose their houses, so they dragged the furniture into the street to try and save it.  It only made the fire spread faster, and clogged the streets so Fire Departments and ambulances couldn’t get through.
• Great Boston Fire Nov 1872.  Only 20 were killed, and just 776 buildings were lost, but this fire still brought Boston to its knees.  This fire practically took out the entire business district, and no one could work for quite some time.
• Iroquois Theater Fire Chicago Dec 1903.  Just one month after it opened, a fire started above the stage, blocking the exits of the top two levels of the balcony.  602 people lost their lives.
• Our Lady of the Angels School Chicago Dec 1958.  This fire started in the basement less than an hour before school was to let out for the day.  By the time some teachers knew what was happening, it was already too late, as exits were blocked by fire and heat.  92 children and three nuns perished, some from injuries resulted from children jumping from upper floor windows.
• The Camp Fire California Nov 2018.  By far the largest wild fire in California history, this fire consumed about 240 square miles, killed 86 people, and destroyed 18,804 structures.
• Notre Dame Cathedral Paris Apr 2019. Built in the 12^th century, and repaired many times since, this structure was still mainly wood, metal, and stone.  And even though they have a fireman on site 24/7/365, the fire still spread too quickly to save the spire and one of the towers.  Current estimates state that repairs to the cathedral will take 20 years to complete.

What do these fires (and really all fires) have in common?  Not a single person planned on having a fire at that time.  Fires come with no warning whatsoever.  With storms, the weatherman can predict danger ahead of time, but not with fires.

If you had a fire in your home or business, not only will you have water damages (or fire extinguisher dust for much smaller fires), but also soot will travel and accumulate in areas far away from the actual flames.

Call the experts at SERVPRO of Bedford Park/Burbank at 708-430-3600.  We have the knowledge and experience to know where to look and the best way to clean it, if it can be salvaged.