Great Boston Fire of 1872 few minutes in the absence of the horses. In 1871, Chicago suffered massive destruction and an estimated 300 casualties due to a massive fire. Damrell, along with fire chiefs from various large cities, traveled to Chicago after the fire in an attempt to learn from the city’s mistakes. Like Boston, Chicago buildings were made primarily of wood and building codes were not enforced, making the densely developed neighborhoods susceptible to fire. General Phil Sheridan, in charge of military relief in Chicago post-fire, did not condemn the city's use of gunpowder to blow up buildings to create firebreaks. In theory, a
The Great Fire of Key West The Great Fire of Key West The Great Fire of Key West was a major fire that destroyed a significant portion of the city of Key West in 1886. It was the largest and most devastating fire in Key West history. The fire began in a coffee shop next to the San Carlos Institute. It burned for 12 hours over 50 acres, destroyed most of the commercial area of the city, killed seven people, injured 15 more, and cost one and a half million dollars in property damage. There were several compounding factors that caused the fire to burn for