The Great Toronto Fire, April 19th 1904

George Scott & Co.
The Great Toronto Fire was a devastating blaze that destroyed 122 buildings and put 5,000 people out of work. The fire started in a clothing warehouse on Wellington Street and quickly spread, gutting thirteen acres of Toronto's prime commercial district. Special trains brought hundreds of firefighters from as far as Buffalo, New York. There was only one person injured -- the Toronto fire chief. Amazed firefighters and onlookers watched photographer George Scott and his assistant set up in the thick of the fire and film the burning buildings on Front Street. One of the first big Canadian film scoops, Scott's film was distributed throughout Canada and the United States.
Reference
ISN# 16107
Beyond the Printed Word: Newsreel and Broadcast Reporting in Canada = Au-delà de l'écrit : actualités filmées et reportages radio et télédiffusés au Canada. Ottawa: National Archives of Canada, 1988.
IDC: 357127

[@TomLuTon]

The scene from 0:27 to 1:05 was shot on Bay St. The 'Canada Cycle & Motors' seen in the background was on the NE corner of Bay & Temperance. Toronto's old city hall is in the background. As the 1904 fire happened at night, it's likely that this was an arranged run-past by the members of the fire hall on the SE corner of Bay & Temperance (the building with several carriage doors in the background at 1:02)

[@maverickmaverick7506]

At last! I now know what CCM stands for.

[@kevinbarton9052]

Great film short. Even it could take days, fully restoring and digitally re-mastering old films for DVD and Blu-Ray, just as if Hollywood did that to their great films.

[@patriciablackstock1593]

My 2x great-grandmother was living on Albert St., directly behind the Old City Hall, at the time of this fire. After the fire she moved to Sauroren Ave. to live with her daughter and her husband. The property was sold to Eatons through an intermediary.

[@wevkesto]

sounds like this fire was done on purpose for the sake of rebuilding all the consolidated land for interests related to money. God bless her

[@johnh23z]

Plasma explosion like the rest of the cities. That was no 'fire'

[@johnh23z]

@CoolGuitarGear yup kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXSWkqaPgaprZtU

[@MrBlair-ft2li]

I think Constable Henry Higgins caused it when he tossed his half smoked cigar into the trash 😉

[@theguythatsaysthething69]

Bloody hell Higgins

[@livelifeincolour]

LOL I just watched that episode on Netflix! I never knew of this fire...it was cool that they Incorporated real news footage into the show .

[@kodes420]

Higgins used to bug me only a Little, now he is a complete tit.

[@sharptoothtrex4486]

Perhaps it is some electrical shortage from a faulty electric stove.

[@nuvreau1902]

@@livelifeincolour wait, it's also on netflix? i was never able to find it

[@nathanventura548]

Toronto had one big fire in 1904, here in Buffalo we've just been slowly burning one building at a time for over a century. :P

[@bobbbxxx]

@SEAN PETAIA Pretty much anyone who responds from Jan 01 2021 to Dec 31 2021. Why do people ask this silly comment? Just to get "likes"?

[@bobbbxxx]

@SEAN PETAIA The whole "Who is watching this in 1999, 1920, 1921, etc.." thing is a bit tired by now. Personally, I'm watching this in 1888! :)

[@bobbbxxx]

@SEAN PETAIA Can't argue with that! My time machine hasn't been working so well lately. Anyway, have a great day! :)

[@bobbbxxx]

@SEAN PETAIA just trying to be friendly, that's all

[@mariemaresova6080]

19.04.1904 ... is it just a coincidence?

[@lancecabaniss8591]

April 19th is actually a pagan holiday in which human sacrifice is committed by fire. 🫡🫡

[@PristineReviews]

​@@lancecabaniss8591wow weird

[@creative907]

Wow! My grandmother wasn't even born yet.

[@josephbrown8662]

what year was the city of toronto built? Huge city if the total population was 200 miles combeu of maneuver to build this city has its beginning ??? it does not stick ... think ... los angeles also destroyed 1850 1900 about several european city also city of québec low city and high city

[@nonokayakjack]

And now you know why Toronto is called..."THE BIG SMOKE".

[@wmdayman]

My grandmother told me about this.

[@GT47179]

April 19th is a day that all should research 😮

[@amyjojinkerson6745]

It could still happen in Toronto because the streetcar electrical cables making it hard to get equipment raised to fight fires

[@bjthedjdutchdude1992]

116 years ago today

[@BeverleyHarvey316]

MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH CANADA !

[@ryanschnarr9998]

Not a fire, it was a bomb raid. Fire doesn't turn stone to rubble. Learn your history.

[@canman5060]

Very easy caught fire in those days.

[@ReviewUSA-ri5dv]

MUDFLOOD RESET CITY INHERITED

[@leahadriana9800]

not to sound sociopathic or anything but I have never laughed harder in my life

[@allahummabarek]

that makes you a dickhead, not a sociopath luv