Royal Commonwealth Society : [Winnipeg Fur Company warehouse]

Decent, Thomas, Fox- (d 1966)

Royal Commonwealth Society

<p style='text-align: justify;'>This photograph illustrates damage caused by a fire in the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, which broke out on the night 14 January 1911. The fire completely destroyed eight companies’ warehouses in the Kelly block of Bannatyne Avenue, causing an estimated $400,000 of damage. Located in the Canadian Prairies, Winnipeg has a continental climate, with harsh winters, and the severe cold that night (-40° F) hampered efforts to battle the blaze. Fire Chief Buchanan reported that the hose of the fire tower repeatedly froze even though its water had been heated and five fire-fighters suffered frostbite. He stated that the ‘85 foot aerial tower was converted into an iceberg, and as a result of the weight of the ice and the firemen, seven foot was broken off at the top.’ The fire began in the Winnipeg Fur Company warehouse, which is easily recognised in the photograph from his description, ‘the streams played on the burning building were converted into ice and snow, and it was not long before the entire front of the building was solidly caked with ice from roof to ground.’</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>See Janus record <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='https://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FY30681A%2F3'>here</a></p>