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Great Fire, 1909

Mitchell Library, Glasgow Collection, Postcards Collection

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Great Fire, 1909

This postcard shows the damage caused in Ingram Street by the "Great Fire of 1909". It began just after midnight on 17 August, apparently as a result of a gas explosion, and destroyed an 80 yard stretch of the street between Shuttle Street and High Street. Most of the buildings were warehouses thought to have contained wine, spirits, clothing and foodstuffs.

At about 1 am the frontages of the buildings collapsed into the street, as shown on this postcard. The falling masonry narrowly missing several firemen, who had come to the scene from Central Fire Engine Station, just round the corner on College Street. It took all night to put the flames out and the cost of repairing the damage amounted to over £250,000.

Reference: Mitchell Library, GC Postcards

Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning

Keywords:
Central Fire Engine Station, fire fighters, fire fighting, fire hoses, firemen, fires, gas explosions, Great Fire of 1909, postcards, warehouses



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