Great Spokane Fire

The Great Spokane Fire—known locally as The Great Fire—is a major fire that affects downtown Spokane, Washington on August 4, 1889.

It begins just after 6:00 p.m. and destroys the city's downtown commercial district.

Due to technical problems with a pump station, there is no water pressure in the city when the fire starts.

In a desperate bid to starve the fire, firefighters begin razing buildings with dynamite.

Eventually winds die down and the fire exhausts of its own accord.

As a result of the fire and its aftermath, virtually all of Spokane's downtown is destroyed, though only one person is killed.