The Waterfront Fire That Outpaced the Firefighters
A historic Seattle row of buildings is gutted by fire as a mismanaged department struggles to contain the flames.
The row of corrugated iron buildings owned by the Yesler estate at the southeast corner of Yesler and Railroad avenues, covering an area of 110 feet by 30, was gutted by a fire which started in the Felitz Bros. awning factory last night. The lack of discipline and leadership in the fire department was apparent; streams were poured onto the outside iron shell in an impotent way, leaving the seething caldrons within untouched. The fire, which likely began in a stove, spread rapidly through the row, gutting businesses including the Seattle Supply store, the Union Meat Company, and the dry goods firm of Fleischner, Mayer & Co. Insurance was nearly non-existent for the buildings, and losses are estimated at over $43,000. Bystanders and insurance adjusters alike criticized the department for the mismanagement of the blaze.
“You people are always begging for lower rates of insurance, but until you get your department officered by men who know their business you will call on us for cheaper rates in vain.”
This 1893 fire devastated the area near the current site of Pioneer Square, a neighborhood that has endured repeated catastrophic fires throughout its history. The reliance on 'corrugated iron' and makeshift factory setups highlights the precarious nature of early Seattle's rapid, combustible industrial expansion.
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