Could the Great Chicago Fire Been Prevented?

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• Nearly 300 deaths


• More than 2,000 acres


• 17,500 buildings


• 73 miles of road


• 90,000 left homeless


• $222,000 in damage


• The destruction of between two and three million books from private library collections

What do these have numbers have in common? If you answered the Great Chicago Fire of October 1893, you would be correct. And while as devastatingly famous as that fire is in Chicago history, it is not the only horrific fire-related Chicago history. In fact, just a few years later (December 1903) there were more than 600 deaths when the Iroquois Theatre burned and later listed as the deadliest single-building fire in American history.

What is more interesting, is that while the exact cause of the Chicago fire has ever been determined, the Iroquois Theatre fire could have been prevented had the proper measures been taken. History shows that a Chicago fire department captain, toured the facility and noted that "there were no extinguishers, sprinklers, alarms, telephones, or water connections; the only firefighting equipment available were six canisters of a dry chemical called "Kilfyre", which was normally used to douse residential chimney fires."

He reported the problems to his superiors, but was told that nothing could be done, as the building had its own fire warden. In addition to the lack of firefighting equipment, the editor of the Fireproof Magazine, toured the facility and reported that there was an " absence of an intake, or stage draft shaft; the exposed reinforcement of the (proscenium) arch;the presence of wood trim on everything and the inadequate provision of exits."

After each of these events, Chicago rebuilt. But what if there had been something in place to send out an early alarm? How many lives would have been saved had the Iroquois Theatre taken the time to make the necessary changes? Yes, it was a century ago, and modern precautions as we know today were not available, but that doesn't excuse the loss of life and property destruction.

So, with a proactive focus in mind, what are you doing to protect your home and family from fire, theft, burglary or mayhem of any sort? Whether you choose to have utilize the services of one of the local Chicago home security systems or opt for a nationally recognized company, taking care of what matters to you is important. After all, as the early residents of Chicago learned, it's not much fun to clean up after a fire! Don't make the mistake of thinking you could be exempt form personal injury, property damage or a break in. Do your part to keep your family safe.

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Source by Janet Slagell

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