FIRES

The fires listed on this page represent the large quantity of major fires that have occurred since the implementation of the Fire Alarm System (1852), and which have had a significant impact on the City of Boston. The many fires listed here mostly involve multiple-alarm fires, or other major emergencies, as these are usually more spectacular, destroy the most property, attract more media attention, and have a larger impact on the citizens sense of well-being and safety.


THIS SECTION IS UNDER CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT


Date Time Box Alarms Location Information More
2-18-1860 2020 D1-S1 4 42 Merchants Row, Downtown Manning & Glover Co., commercial building Story
7-4-1861 1318 D4-S3 5 131 Albany Street, Downtown Firecrackers caused loss of 20 buildings (Paper)
7-4-1861 1417 D7 5 Nickerson's Wharf, East Boston Firecrackers destroyed several wharves and many buildings (Link)
2-24-1862 2147 D1-S4 4 North and Commercial Streets, North End Total loss between Clark, North, Fleet Sts. and harbor. (Link)
4-4-1864 2350 . . Tremont & Boylston Sts., Downtown Total loss of the Masonic Fraternity Building (Link)
10-5-1867 0418 56 4 383 Federal Street, Downtown Fire gutted a planing mill building, plus trial of a oil-fired steam pumper. (Link)
7-25-1870 1521 157 4+ Border Street, near Decatur, East Boston Fire in a planing mill spread to many properties. (Link)
11-9-1872 1924 52 5+ 83-85 Summer Street, Downtown "Great Boston Fire" destroyed 776 buildings over 65 acres, millions lost. Story
5-30-1873 0826 53 4 Washington St., near Boylston, Downtown "Memorial Day Fire" destroyed the Globe Theatre & 105 buildings. (Link)
12-14-1874 2255 68 6 Plympton, Wareham and Albany Sts., South End 29 woodworking firms in 9 buildings affected.  
1-31-1878 1931 424 4 121 Medford St., Charlestown Large furniture factory destroyed during a north-east gale. (Paper)
8-14-1879 2255 36 . 80-86 Tremont Street, Downtown 'Tremont Temple Fire' gutted the third temple (church) built on the site. Paper
12-28-1879 2258 45 Gen 91-93 Federal St., Downtown "Rice-Kendall Fire" destroyed many buildings. (Link)
6-17-1882 0514 236 3 60 Hampshire Street, Roxbury Cotton Waste Factory Fire in Roxbury, with collapse injuring firemen. Paper
1-4-1886 1100 15 3 61-81 Clinton St., Downtown Temps. -15 degrees caused ruins to smolder in a large quantity of flour. (Link)
11-28-1889 0813 52 Gen 69-87 Bedford St., Downtown "Thanksgiving Day Fire" caused $3.9 million damage  
1-10-1893 0822 48 3 207-219 Federal Street, Downtown "Hecht Building Fire" hindered by overhead wires. (Link)
3-10-1893 1624 52 4+ 63 Lincoln Street, Downtown "Lincoln Street Fire" caused $2.9 million damage. (Link)
5-15-1894 1622 215 Gen Walpole Street Ballgrounds, Roxbury "Roxbury Conflagration" destroyed/damaged 206 buildings.  
2-3-1896 0650 915 . Winter, Church & Parish Sts., Dorchester The First Parish Church, atop Meeting House Hill, is destroyed. Paper (Link)
2-17-1896 1000 56 4 290 South St., Downtown Old Colony Railroad terminal, baggage rooms and offices destroyed. Paper
3-12-1896 1536 96 5 221 Columbus Ave., Back Bay Pope Bicycle Co. fire destroyed 5-story commercial building (Paper)
2-5-1898 0359 412 3 Bent Bedding Co., 116 Merrimac St., Downtown "Merrimac Street Fire" and collapse kills 6 firefighters. Story
3-11-1900 0420 15 3 209 North St., North End Wall collapses at a North End tenement fire, kills 1 fireman, injures 3 more. Story
7-6-1900 2103 231 5 1023 Harrison Ave., Roxbury Lumber yard fire threatened wood tenement buildings in the area. Paper
Map
1-27-1903 2114 46 5 215 Franklin Street, Downtown Fire at the Bigelow, Douse & Co. building. (Paper)
7-5-1904 1713 429 4 Terminal St., Charlestown B&M RR Grain Elevator and Mystic Docks destroyed by lightning/fire. (Link)
2-21-1905 0123 443 5 Hoosac Piers 3 and 4, Charlestown Large fire on the Hoosac Piers 3 and 4, Charlestown. (Link)
7-13-1907 1337 148 4 Congress and A Streets, South Boston Fire in a commercial building at 347-351 Congress St.  
5-1-1908 1611 619 5 Pier at Marginal and Clyde Sts., East Boston Cunard Company wharf fire caused $1.3 million damage. Paper
1-17-1909 0546 96 4 Park Square, Back Bay Fire at Providence Depot of New Haven Railroad. (Link)
8-9-1910 1817 58 6 Albany St. near Dover St., South End "Blacker & Shepard Fire" nearly destroyed Fire Headquarters.  
12-24-1911 0745 118 4 660 Summer Street, South Boston Boston Molasses Company fire. (Link)
2-20-1913 1850 703 5 239 Causeway St., North End Braman, Dow & Co. fire, Causeway Street, North End. Paper
5-10-1913 1353 433 3 Mystic Wharf, Charlestown Large fire at the Export Lumber Company on Mystic Wharf  
7-4-1913 1737 925 3 Leroy Street, Dorchester 4th of July firecrackers started a fire, destroying 31 buildings.  
12-3-1913 0204 771 3 1202 Washington St., South End Arcadia Hotel fire, 28 die in a rooming house fire. (Link)
1-14-1914 0001 218 4 2175 Washington St., Roxbury Bacon Co. fire destroyed the building, 1 firefighter dies.  
4-12-1914 0157 820 4 1315 Commonwealth Av., Brighton Fire in an apartment building kills 8 occupants.  
4-24-1915 1224 136 5 14-20 L Street, South Boston "Suspender Factory Fire" at Natural Leather Finishing Co. Photos
1-29-1917 0154 1463 5 77-111 Chauncy St., Downtown "Kelley Blanket Fire" caused 1/2 million dollar damage. (Link)
Photo
2-10-1917 0459 1573 4 50 Exeter St., Back Bay Hotel Lenox fire, very cold weather, many rescued via ladders. (Link)
Photo
2-21-1917 1857 1622 4 Washington and Mott Sts., South End Fire destroys the Columbia Theatre belonging to Loews Enterprise Co. Paper
1-12-1919 1223 723 4 27-41 Damrell St., South Boston Fire swept through a munitions plant destroying two buildings. Paper
1-15-1919 1240 1234 2 521 Commercial St., North End "Molasses Tank Disaster" collapse and flood killed 20 persons.  
7-17-1923 1806 7112 4 374 Congress St., South Boston Fire destroys Thomas Kelly & Co., building. Photo
1-13-1925 1918 1443 3 30-38 Summer St., Downtown Large fire in the Kennedy Clothing establishment.  
7-5-1925 0301 1471 2 6-12 Beach St., Downtown Pickwick Club collapse  
7-23-1926 0603 629 4 80 Border St., East Boston Fire at the Atlantic Works nautical supplies company.  
4-15-1928 0300 1546 4 Dartmouth and Buckingham Sts., Back Bay Fire destroyed Back Bay Station of New Haven RR.  
7-4-1930 1918 4147 5 141-153 Medford St., Charlestown Fire at the Palmer Parker Company building.  
1-4-1932 0426 1525 5 507-515 Tremont St., South End Fire destroyed the landmark Odd Fellows Hall building.  
11-7-1933 0918 1257 4 Central Wharf, off Atlantic Ave., Downtown Fire at the Eastern Steamship Company on Central Wharf.  
1-5-1934 1311 2344 5 Lansdowne Street, Back Bay Fire at Fenway Park destroyed outfield sections.  
9-24-1935 1345 4112 4 37-43, 37-58 Warren Avenue, Charlestown Several 2.5-story vacant commercial bldgs. adjacent to Warren Av. Bridge.  
4-8-1936 0635 5189 4 Lake Street, Brighton Fire at St. John's Seminary  
11-25-1936 1635 6153 3 15-25 Meridian St., East Boston Explosion in a hat-cleaning shop swept a block of tenement buildings Paper
11-27-1936 2256 4112 5 Charles River Ave., Charlestown "Grist Mill Fire" destroyed buildings housing newsprint.  
1-6-1937 2045 1345 3 Spring & Milton Sts., West End Tenement fire, with a 4 alarm fire on Atlantic Ave., Downtown, at 2100. Paper
2-13-1937 2100 7115 4 300 Congress St., South Boston Warehouse fire at the Grasselli Chemical Co. on Fort Point Channel. Paper
3-10-1937 1025 4191 5 Mystic Docks, Charlestown Fire in the vessel 'Laila' at Pier 45, ship loaded with nitrate.  
11-25-1939 1540 4137 5 294 Rutherford Ave., Charlestown New England Pipe & Supply Company.  
4-15-1941 1618 715 5 171-192 West First St., South Boston General Wool Company fire.  
9-18-1941 1759 4156 5+ 391 Rutherford Ave., Charlestown "Rutherford Ave. Conflagration" destroyed many RR sheds.  
11-15-1942 0228 6153 5 12-16 Maverick Square, East Boston "Luongo's Restaurant Fire", Maverick Sq., with a collapse killing 6 FF's.  
11-28-1942 2220 1521 5 15-17 Piedmont St., Downtown "Cocoanut Grove Fire" killed 492 and injured 166 others. Story
12-15-1942 2310 1461 5 501-507 Washington St., Downtown "Sallinger's Fire" damaged a large commercial building.  
1-16-1943 1655 4148 5 81-105 Medford St., Charlestown Another fire in the Palmer Parker Company.  
4-23-1944 1650 3468 5 488 Neponset Ave., Dorchester Fire at the Frost Coal & Oil Company building.  
6-12-1944 2155 2335 5 18 Simmons St., Roxbury "Chair Factory Fire" at the Newtowne Manufacturing Co.  
1-15-1948 1259 7115 5 23-27 Sleeper St., South Boston "Sleeper Street Fire" at the Armour Leather Company.  
3-9-1950 0257 1421 5 183-195 Congress St., Downtown Large fire in commercial buildings at 181-195 Congress St.  
11-2-1952 1243 1242 5 Union Wharf, off Commercial St., North End Large fire destroyed the Union Wharf buildings.  
6-2-1953 2130 4191 5 Mystic Docks, Charlestown Large fire at Pier 48, Mystic Docks.  
10-16-1953 1516 7545 2 South Boston Naval Annex Explosion and Fire in the 'USS Leyte' killed 37 and injured 40.  
10-22-1953 0329 72 4 Dover Street Bridge, South Boston Fire destroyed the Bridge between the South End and South Boston.  
2-1-1954 0120 1321 5 19-25 Sudbury St., Downtown Fire at the Tulman Furniture Company.  
3-3-1955 0329 1257 5 India Wharf, off Atlantic Ave., Downtown Large fire at 1-9 India Wharf.  
3-14-1955 1620 1491 4 740 Washington St., Downtown Fire at the Gerry Furniture Company building.  
4-14-1955 6151 1759 5 25 Lewis Street, East Boston Warehouse fire at the National Docks, East Boston  
7-1-1955 0741 1547 3+ 43 Stanhope Street, Back Bay "Red Coach Grill Fire" on a very humid day.
Photo
11-8-1956 1304 6213 5 652 Saratoga St., East Boston 8 buildings lost at Saratoga, Curtis and Chaucher Sts.  
1-12-1957 1223 4141 5 10 Green St., Charlestown Fire destroyed the First Congregational Church.  
7-26-1957 1858 4191 5 Mystic Wharf, Charlestown Large fire at the Boston & Maine RR coal docks.  
7-6-1958 2334 7113 5 Pier 2, Northern Avenue, South Boston Merchants & Miners sheds destroyed.  
2-26-1959 0915 3396 4 55 Nightingale St., Dorchester 9 frame mult-unit dwellings destroyed.  
2-28-1959 2339 2122 5 2140 Washington St., Roxbury Fire in multiple 4 and 5 story buildings.  
8-1-1959 2059 7112 5 400 Congress St., South Boston Fire at New Haven RR Freight House #6 + RR cars.  
6-12-1960 1307 3353 4 562 Blue Hill Ave., Dorchester Fire in several woodframe and brick buildings.  
11-30-1961 1301 735 4 Castle Island, South Boston Fire at Pier 17 at Castle Island Terminal Wharf.  
3-7-1962 0539 1246 5 Commercial Wharf, North End Fire in buildings and wharf structure.  
5-10-1962 1601 4132 5 Front St., Charlestown Fire destroyed potato sheds and freight cars.  
9-23-1962 1747 5246 5 293 Lincoln St., Brighton Vacant house and warehouse fire (first 5 alarm in Brighton).  
1-24-1963 2346 319 4 1496-1500 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester Fire destroyed the 3-story brick Globe Furniture Co. in a snowstorm.  
3-29-1963 0400 2321 5 146 Masssachusetts Ave., Back Bay "Sherry-Biltmore Hotel" fire with many ladder rescues.  
10-12-1963 1137 1611 5 27 Corning Street, South End "Morgan Memorial" fire nearly became a conflagration.  
5-22-1964 1339 7251 5+ Bellflower St., Dorchester "Bellflower Street Conflagration" destroys 19 buildings. Story
10-1-1964 0032 1671 5 34 Trumbull St., South End Fire caused a wall collapse, killing 5 FF's.  
6-23-1965 1711 5221 5 80 Western Ave., Brighton Fire at a RR freight and truck terminal.  
12-9-1965 1818 1614 5 1217 Washington St., South End Boston Leather Co., vacant 4-story brick, + other bldgs., with collapse.  
1-28-1966 1841 1471 5 15-19 Boylston St., Downtown Explosion and fire at the Paramount Hotel killed 10.  
7-1-1966 1337 4187 5 36 Roland St., Charlestown Paper warehouse fire with $1.5 million damage.  
2-18-1967 0711 1441 5 141 Tremont St., Downtown Crawford-Hollidge Department store fire Story
6-19-1967 1643 3254 4 78-98 Taylor St., Dorchester Fire at the O.G. Kelley and A.T. Stearns Co's., destroyed 5 wood bldgs.  
2-4-1968 0349 1632 5 1147 Washington St., South End Roosevelt Hotel fire killed 9, many rescued.  
2-7-1968 0844 7222 5 Broadway, South Boston Blinstrub's Restaurant  
3-29-1968 0217 1539 5 288 Berkeley St., Back Bay "First Church in Boston" fire extended to adjacent buildings.  
4-6-1968 1959 6184 5 262-274 East Eagle St., East Boston A rapidly spreading fire destroyed several 3-deckers in East Boston.  
5-14-1968 2258 711 5 Summer St. Bridge over RR tracks, South Boston Freight yard fire damaged bridge and other RR buildings.  
8-5-1969 2223 3859 5 100 Meadow Rd., Readville Stop&Shop warehouse fire (first 5 alarm fire in Hyde Park)  
3-31-1971 0033 2341 5 50 Peterborough St., Back Bay Apartment house fire killed 8 residents, many rescued.  
4-20-1971 1349 1247 5 91-125 Clinton St., Downtown The Clinton Market warehouse destroyed by fire.  
12-29-1971 1214 1412 3+ 604-610 Atlantic Ave., Downtown Vacant 6-story brick commercial building fully involved. Story
6-17-1972 1434 1571 4 160 Commonwealth Ave., Back Bay "Vendome Hotel Fire & Collapse" caused death of nine firefighters.  
1-11-1973 1937 711 5 332-340 Summer St., South Boston "Ralph Pill Electric" fire in an 8-story merchantile building. Story
11-10-1973 0439 1368 5 14 Hancock St., Beacon Hill Fire in an apartment building, many rescues made.  
4-1-1974 2152 6151 5 145 Sumner St., East Boston Fire destroyed a vacant warehouse.  >
4-17-1974 1853 3754 5 1344 Hyde Park Ave., Hyde Park Large fire at the vacant Allis-Chalmers manufacturing plant.  
7-16-1974 0451 1632 5 15 Groton St., South End The Williams School building was destroyed.  
10-9-1974 0211 7421 5 1400-1406 Columbia Rd., South Boston Landmark Dorgan's Restaurant was destroyed.  
5-24-1975 0017 6112 5 220-228 Everett St., East Boston Tenement buildings destroyed in a fast-moving fire.  
8-4-1975 0732 2791 3 35 Corinth St., Roslindale Basement fire at Corey's Market injured many FF's.  
11-28-1975 1651 2252 5 20 Dudley St., Roxbury Former Dudley School, used as School Dept. warehouse.  
1-22-1976 2010 7445 5 768-776 East 6th St., South Boston A row of brick buildings with high winds and extreme cold.  
2-1-1976 2128 2411 5+ 301-309 Centre St., Jamaica Plain "Plant Shoe Fire" caused the complete destruction of large mill building.  
7-20-1978 2125 1233 5 179-181 Salem Street, North End 5-story occupied tenement building fire. (Simultaneous 5-alarm fire)  
7-20-1978 2250 1585 5 492 Beacon Street, Back Bay Fire in a vacant church. (Simultaneous 5-alarm fire)  
6-17-1980 1817 5221 9 70 Western Ave., Brighton Fire in a large railroad shed, boxcars and trailers  
9-24-1980 0253 1841 8 1046 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester "St. William's Church Fire" destroyed a landmark stucco church.  
2-27-1982 2105 1471 9 597 Washington St., Downtown "Avery Hotel Fire" destroyed a former hotel turned rooming house.  
6-3-1982 0321 7161 9 410 E Street, South Boston "Louis Spero Toy Co. Fire" destroyed three large commercial buildings.  
6-11-1982 0012 254 9 165 Brookside Ave., Jamaica Plain 4 major arson fires in the city within three hours (9, 6, 3 & 5 alarms)  
1-19-1984 0337 1341 6 Rear of North Station, Nashua St., Downtown Pier fire on Charles River at the rear of North Station.  
1-24-1984 2018 3148 9 246 Adams St., Dorchester "St. Ambrose Church Fire" destroyed a landmark brick church.  
8-11-1984 1321 7131 9 23 Wormwood St., South Boston Boston Plate Glass Company fire destroyed a commercial building.  
7-4-1985 0017 4167 9 Sheafe Street, Charlestown "Sheafe Street Fire"  
1-2-1986 1713 1573 8 800 Boylston St., Back Bay "Prudential Tower" fire in a 52-story high-rise  
3-21-1986 0144 7413 9 Mercer St., South Boston "Mercer Street Fire" destroyed many homes, 1 FF death.  
6-26-1987 0113 3412 9 Lonsdale St., Dorchester Plane crash on Lonsdale St.  
1-27-1989 1734 2251 9 80 Dudley St., Roxbury "Roxbury Boys Club Fire"  
4-6-1989 0338 3846 8 1665 Hyde Park Ave., Hyde Park Morrill Builders Supply  
10-12-1989 1152 1432 9 84 Essex St., Downtown Building fire in Chinatown filmed by CBS 48 Hours.  
6-26-1990 1534 731 5 115 Dorchester St., South Boston "Robinson's Hardware Fire" destroyed a neighborhood store.  
12-12-1990 0825 1546 3 Back Bay Station, Dartmouth St., Back Bay Crash of AMTRAK and Commuter Rail trains caused many injuries.  
10-04-1991 1602 1332 6 15 Sudbury St., Downtown Fire on the roof of the John F. Kennedy Federal Building.  
11-2-1992 1111 6182 7 53 White Street, East Boston Fire in a large three-story residential building.  
10-4-1993 1329 6134 7 135 Marginal St., East Boston Pier fire  
6-24-1994 0037 4113 9 40 Charles River Ave., Charlestown Rapids Furniture Company warehouse fire on a pier, 1 FF death.  
8-31-1995 0440 1571 5 26 Exeter Street, Back Bay "Exeter Street Theatre Fire" heavily damaged a landmark theatre building.  
11-13-1996 1342 7433 7 283-295 K Street, South Boston "K Street Fire" involved many connected buldings on K Street.  
8-26-1998 1107 36 W/F 8 Ashton St., Dorchester Gas explosion leveled a duplex 3-decker and damaged many homes. Story
12-3-1998 0551 1316 9 112 Canal St., Downtown "Canal Street Fire" desroyed a furniture warehouse building.  
4-8-2000 1547 6262 9 61 Bayswater St., East Boston Orient Heights Yacht Club was destroyed along with many homes.  
10-29-2000 0124 7441 9 5 Swallow St., South Boston "Swallow Street Fire" destroyed 7 three-deckers, damaged others.  
8-2-2001 2102 1411 3 298 Congress St., Downtown "Tea Party Ship & Museum Fire" destroyed replica ship and buildings.  
5-4-2002 1531 4228 9 1st Ave & 13th St., Charlestown "Rope Walk Fire" at the former Charlestown Navy Yard.  
10-1-2002 1624 7324 9 776 Summer St., South Boston Boston Edison Power Plant fire.  
1-18-2005 1731 2461 5 633 Centre St., Jamaica Plain "First Baptist Church Fire" destroyed a Jamaica Plain landmark.  
2-22-2007 1851 1212 6 129 Endicott St., North End Fire in a 5-story commercial and residential building.  
8-27-2007 1200 1411 2 Congress Street Bridge, South Boston Fire destroyed the Boston Tea Party Museum. Story
8-29-2007 2105 281 4 1721 Centre St., West Roxbury Fire in a row of 'taxpayers' caused death of two firefighters.  
12-31-2007 1941 7435 7 309 Emerson St., South Boston Fire in a 5-story ex-hotel converted to condominiums with two deaths.  
1-5-2008 0340 3744 4 2-20 Fairmount Ave., Hyde Park Fire destroyed a large 3-story building housing many businesses.  
3-10-2008 0745 1573 4 776 Boylston St., Back Bay 14-story Mandarin Hotel fire, damaging condos under construction.  
6-30-2008 0324 1293 7 440 Atlantic Ave., Downtown James Hook Lobster Co. fire on the waterfront.  
1-6-2009 0157 2343 4 84-100 Peterborough St., Fenway A 1-story block of stores (taxpayers).  
2-21-2009 0123 3358 5 612-624 Blue Hill Avenue, Dorchester Fire destroyed a former theatre building, housing a church and stores.  
7-11-2009 0111 7218 4 400 Dorchester Ave., South Boston Fire destroyed a seafood processing plant and surrounding structures.  
4-7-2010 1347 1583 9 483 Beacon St., Back Bay Fire on floors 7 & 8 of a 10-story condo bldg. built in 1895. Hot 90* day.  
8-21-2010 2227 1712 9 57-75 Norfolk Ave., Roxbury Fire in multi-story Vacant warehouse, extented to an adjacent building.  
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