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Great New York City Fire of 1845

1840s fires in North America1840s in New York City1845 disasters in the United States1845 fires1845 in New York (state)
19th-century fires in the United States19th century in ManhattanFires in New York CityIndustrial fires and explosions in the United StatesJuly 1845Lower ManhattanUrban fires in the United StatesUse American English from March 2026Use mdy dates from July 2026
NYC Fire 1845 Bowling Green LOC
NYC Fire 1845 Bowling Green LOC

The Great New York City Fire of 1845 broke out on July 19, 1845, in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The fire started in a whale oil and candle manufacturing establishment and quickly spread to other wooden structures. It reached a warehouse at 38 Broad Street where combustible saltpeter was stored and caused a massive explosion that spread the fire even farther. The fire destroyed 345 buildings in the southern part of what is now the Financial District, resulting in property damage estimated at the time between $5 million and $10 million (equivalent to between $173 million and $346 million in 2025). Four firefighters and 26 civilians died. The Great New York City Fire of 1845 was the last of three particularly devastating fires that affected the heart of Manhattan, the other two occurring in 1776 and 1835. While very destructive, the 1845 fire confirmed the value of building codes restricting wood-frame construction, which had been implemented in 1815. Despite general improvements, the 1845 fire prompted public calls for a more proactive stance in fire prevention and firefighting, and the city established a reserve unit called the Exempt Fireman's Company.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Great New York City Fire of 1845 (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Great New York City Fire of 1845
Broad Street, New York Manhattan

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N 40.706111111111 ° E -74.011944444444 °
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Joe & The Juice

Broad Street 40
10271 New York, Manhattan
New York, United States
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NYC Fire 1845 Bowling Green LOC
NYC Fire 1845 Bowling Green LOC
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Broad Exchange Building
Broad Exchange Building

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