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The Great Fire of London 1666
The Great Fire of London started in the house of a baker and quickly destroyed 13 200 homes in the city, amongst other buildings. The narrow streets, limited local fire recourse, hesistant reaction, and wooden architecture of the city allowed the flames to persist. The fire notably resulted in the incresed persecution of religious and ethinic foreigners. The rebuilding of the city involved new bulding codes, regulations, materials, and architecture.
Left: Rebuilding Act of 1667 -
Copenhagen Fire of 1728
Ignited by a candle, the Copenhagen Fire was the largest the city had experienced and spread as a result of narrow streets, unfavourable winds, and wooden infrastructure. Given the city's medieval repute, the fire was seen as a cultural loss; specifically, over 35 000 documents from the University of Copenhagan were destroyed. Furthermore, with 20% of the population newly homeless, the city survied individual losses in order to shape rebuilding programs. -
Fire of Moscow
Napoleon assembled a Grand Army of 500 000 hoping to conquer the Russian capital of Moscow. He arrived to a city in embers that had been evacuated of the Russians –excluding the peasantry –the very same day. Without method of subsistence from the razed city, he marched his defeated army and empire back home.
Painting: Denis-Auguste-Marie Raffet, Le Maréchal Ney à la redoute de Kovno, Louvre, oil on canvas
One of Napoleon's marshals leading the soldiers during the retreat. -
Burning of Parliament
Among the many eyewtinesses, Turner painted the buning of parliament from across the Thames. Resulting from the improper disposal of tally sticks – ancient memory minders – the House of Lords, Commons, and nearby buildings caught on fire. Priority was given to preserving the House of Commons and Westminister Hall. Although none of the Acts were lost in the fire, some venerable rolls were lost such as the warrant for the eecutio of Charles I. The buildings were rebuilt within two decades. -
Paris Metro Train Fire
The Paris Metro Train Fire was caused by a short circuit that resulted in the deaths of 84 passengers. This event aroused skepticism that led to reforms in the manufacturing and management of trains and stations. The loudest critique was the left-wing publication by the satirical jounal "L'assiette au Buerre" denouncing technology and capitalism. The fear of the rail spread beyond Paris. -
The Great Fire of Thessaloniki
Once a multiethinci trading hub, the textile market was one of the many areas effected by the Great Fire of Thessaloniki. Forty-nine percent of the population of were rendered homeless, causing the eastern migrations of inhabitants, namely Jews. Furthermore, it was one of the first major cases in fire insurance in which British insurers covered half of the eight million pounds-worth of damages.
