Bell and Kinslow building, Healdsburg, Credit: J. B. Macelwane Archives, Saint Louis University

Fires choke the city

The earthquake was destructive, but the fires it sparked caused much more damage. They broke out simultaneously in as many as 30 different locations.
Ruptured gas pipes and broken water mains meant they were impossible to put out. 
 
With water in short supply there was little the authorities could do.  They tried to create fire breaks by blowing up buildings, but this did little to quell the fires. 
 
The large number of wooden frame structures only added more fuel to the inferno, and the flames destroyed over 500 city blocks.  

It's estimated that over 90% of the buildings in San Francisco had fire insurance at the time, but fire damage resulting from the earthquake was typically excluded. This may account for the widespread acts of arson in the city, as many property owners reportedly set fire to their own damaged buildings to ensure an insurance payout. 














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