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List of Notable Fires, with Toledo Fire Data Table (1867-1976) and Big Fires (1920-1976)
DATA
[Yearly population figures are extrapolated from the decennial census.]
Year | # of Fires | City Population | F/P Ratio |
1867 | 82 | 24877 | 3.29621739 |
1868 | 68 | 27113 | 2.50802198 |
1869 | 78 | 29349 | 2.65767147 |
1870 | 78 | 31584 | 2.46960486 |
1871 | 73 | 33439 | 2.18307964 |
1872 | 83 | 35294 | 2.35167451 |
1873 | 76 | 37149 | 2.0458155 |
1874 | 91 | 39004 | 2.33309404 |
1875 | 97 | 40859 | 2.37401796 |
1876 | 104 | 42714 | 2.43479889 |
1877 | 106 | 44569 | 2.37833472 |
1878 | 98 | 46424 | 2.11097708 |
1879 | 108 | 48279 | 2.23699745 |
1880 | 144 | 50137 | 2.87213036 |
1881 | 127 | 53267 | 2.38421537 |
1882 | 132 | 56397 | 2.34055003 |
1883 | 132 | 59527 | 2.21748114 |
1884 | 199 | 62657 | 3.17602183 |
1885 | 146 | 65787 | 2.21928345 |
1886 | 163 | 68917 | 2.36516389 |
1887 | 195 | 72047 | 2.70656655 |
1888 | 165 | 75177 | 2.19482022 |
1889 | 175 | 78307 | 2.23479382 |
1890 | 186 | 81434 | 2.28405826 |
1891 | 254 | 86473 | 2.93733304 |
1892 | 269 | 91512 | 2.9395052 |
1893 | 387 | 96551 | 4.00824435 |
1894 | 354 | 101590 | 3.48459494 |
1895 | 467 | 106629 | 4.37967157 |
1896 | 373 | 111668 | 3.34025862 |
1897 | 380 | 116707 | 3.25601721 |
1898 | 423 | 121746 | 3.4744468 |
1899 | 625 | 126785 | 4.92960524 |
1900 | 487 | 131822 | 3.69437575 |
1901 | 588 | 135490 | 4.33980368 |
1902 | 548 | 139158 | 3.93796979 |
1903 | 601 | 142826 | 4.20791733 |
1904 | 640 | 146494 | 4.36877961 |
1905 | 677 | 150162 | 4.50846419 |
1906 | 759 | 153830 | 4.93401807 |
1907 | 658 | 157498 | 4.17783083 |
1908 | 874 | 161166 | 5.42298003 |
1909 | 612 | 164834 | 3.71282624 |
1910 | 794 | 168497 | 4.71225007 |
1911 | 787 | 175964 | 4.47250574 |
1912 | 964 | 183431 | 5.25538213 |
1913 | 1054 | 190898 | 5.52127314 |
1914 | 1129 | 198365 | 5.69152824 |
1915 | 1067 | 205832 | 5.18383925 |
1916 | 1345 | 213299 | 6.30570232 |
1917 | 1300 | 220766 | 5.88858792 |
1918 | 1401 | 228233 | 6.13846376 |
1919 | 1304 | 235700 | 5.53245651 |
1920 | 1339 | 243164 | 5.5065717 |
1921 | 1185 | 247919 | 4.77978695 |
1922 | 1515 | 252674 | 5.99586819 |
1923 | 1704 | 257429 | 6.61930086 |
1924 | 1740 | 262184 | 6.63656058 |
1925 | 1800 | 266939 | 6.7431136 |
1926 | 1983 | 271694 | 7.29865216 |
1927 | 2132 | 276449 | 7.71209156 |
1928 | 2235 | 281204 | 7.9479666 |
1929 | 2582 | 285959 | 9.02926643 |
1930 | 3009 | 290718 | 10.3502363 |
1931 | 2383 | 289881 | 8.22061467 |
1932 | 2423 | 289044 | 8.38280677 |
1933 | 2655 | 288207 | 9.21212878 |
1934 | 3071 | 287370 | 10.6865713 |
1935 | 2670 | 286533 | 9.31829842 |
1936 | 3300 | 285696 | 11.5507392 |
1937 | 2795 | 284859 | 9.81187184 |
1938 | 2741 | 284022 | 9.65066086 |
1939 | 2569 | 283185 | 9.07180818 |
1940 | 2484 | 282349 | 8.7976228 |
1941 | 2646 | 284476 | 9.30131189 |
1942 | 2209 | 286603 | 7.70752574 |
1943 | 2585 | 288730 | 8.95300107 |
1944 | 2850 | 290857 | 9.79862957 |
1945 | 2813 | 292984 | 9.60120689 |
1946 | 2977 | 295111 | 10.0877297 |
1947 | 2724 | 297238 | 9.16437333 |
1948 | 3077 | 299365 | 10.2784227 |
1949 | 2896 | 301492 | 9.60556167 |
1950 | 2595 | 303616 | 8.5469804 |
1951 | 2801 | 305055 | 9.1819508 |
1952 | 3408 | 306494 | 11.1193041 |
1953 | 3070 | 307933 | 9.9697012 |
1954 | 2402 | 309372 | 7.76411569 |
1955 | 2542 | 310811 | 8.17860372 |
1956 | 2442 | 312250 | 7.82065653 |
1957 | 2519 | 313689 | 8.03024652 |
1958 | 2650 | 315128 | 8.40928131 |
1959 | 2748 | 316567 | 8.68062685 |
1960 | 2867 | 318,003 | 9.01563822 |
1961 | 2969 | 324,585 | 9.14706471 |
1962 | 3576 | 331,167 | 10.7981774 |
1963 | 4312 | 337,749 | 12.7668772 |
1964 | 4680 | 344,331 | 13.5915732 |
1965 | 5080 | 350,913 | 14.4765227 |
1966 | 5376 | 357,495 | 15.0379726 |
1967 | 5965 | 364,077 | 16.3838968 |
1968 | 6351 | 370,659 | 17.1343472 |
1969 | 6649 | 377,241 | 17.6253376 |
1970 | 6492 | 383818 | 16.9142667 |
1971 | 7316 | 380900 | 19.207141 |
1972 | 7163 | 377982 | 18.9506379 |
1973 | 7402 | 375064 | 19.7352985 |
1974 | 8828 | 372146 | 23.7218726 |
1975 | 9108 | 369228 | 24.667685 |
1976 | 9146 | 366310 | 24.9679233 |
The Big Fires: 1920-1976 (Source: List of Notable Fires, from History of the Toledo Fire Division, 1837-1977)
NAME | ADDRESS | DATE | SIZE | LOSS |
[no data available] | 1301 Summit | April 11, 1920 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $106,376 loss |
Immaculate Conception Church Plus 5 damaged houses | Eastern and Maumee | April 29, 1920 | Second Alarm and specials | Loss undetermined |
Harter Candy Co. | 114-116 Huron Street | November 18, 1921 | [no data available] | $84,000 loss |
Del-Mar Apartments | 2354 Monroe Street | December 26, 1922 | Second Alarm and specials | $83,700 loss |
New York Central Freight House | Monroe Street | February 15, 1923 | [no data available] | $200,000 loss |
Hettrick Bros. Co. | 1236 Oakwood Ave. | February 20, 1923 | Second Alarm and specials | $168,000 loss |
Eckhardt Monumental Co. | 3043 Monroe St. | December 20, 1924 | 2nd Alarm | $70,000 loss |
Sts Peter and Paul Church | 738 5. St. Clair St. | February 7, 1926 | 2nd Alarm | $70,000 loss |
Mauk Lumber Co. | Elm and George St. | November 22, 1926 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $154,000 loss |
Congregational Church | Collingwood and Acklin | February 5, 1927 | Caused by a gas explosion rocking the West end, three persons killed instantly - 2nd Alarm and specials | $124,948 loss |
Northwestern Ohio Savings - Blair Realty | 232 Superior Street | July 23, 1929 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $150,000 loss |
Toledo Grain and Milling | Harrison and Mill | July 28, 1929 | 2nd Alarm and special call | $191,673 loss |
Northgate Manor | 711 Locust | April 22, 1930 | [no data available] | $83,000 loss |
American Railway Express Co. | 211 5. St. Clair St. | May 17, 1930 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $22,395 loss |
Union Station | Morris and Williams | June 10, 1930 | 2nd Alarm - special for 4 pumpers | $300,000 loss |
Brown Transportation Co. | 624 Brown Ave. | July 21, 1930 | 2nd Alarm | $52,551 loss |
Alemite Garage | 524 State Street | October 10, 1930 | 3rd Alarm | $52,000 loss |
American Wall Paper Co. | 622 Jackson | March 22, 1931 | [no data available] | $59,194 loss |
National Milling Co. | 2221 Front St. | May 21, 1931 | 3rd Alarm | $332,120 loss |
Western Auto | 231 Superior | June 28, 1932 | 3rd Alarm | $60,000 loss |
Temple Theater | 225 St. Clair St. | February 10, 1933 | 3rd Alarm | $112,000 loss |
Kelsey and Freeman Lumber Company | 1225 Indiana Ave. | May 2, 1937 | 4th Alarm | $118,455 loss |
First Westminster Presbyterian Church | Orange and Huron | July 15, 1937 | 3rd Alarm | $60,000 loss |
Holy Rosary Parish | 2545 York St. | January 28, 1938 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $83,000 loss |
Lanes Cut Rate Clothing & A & P Store | 502 Summit Street | May 5, 1938 | 3rd Alarm and specials - 5 story brick commercial | $130,000 loss |
Walbridge Park Concessions | Broadway | October 26, 1938 | 3rd Alarm | Loss undetermined |
Willys Overland Motors Inc. | Central Ave. | September 8, 1938 | 4th Alarm - 14 brick buildings | $94,000 loss |
Doehler Die Casting Co. | 2100 Smead | July 4, 1939 | 2nd Alarm | $197,824 loss |
Home Furniture Co. | Jackson and Water | June 2, 1940 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $36,370 loss |
St. Vincent Hospital | 2213 Cherry St. | July 16, 1940 | 3rd Alarm | Loss undetermined |
D.J. Marleau Hardware | 3602 N. Detroit | February 8, 1940 | 3rd Alarm | $50,000 loss |
National Terminal and other buildings | 110 Ottawa | June 6, 1941 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $150,000 loss |
Tugboat - William A. Whitney | Front Street | September 26, 1942 | Twelve crew members burned | $110,000 loss |
2 story frame duplex | 1005-1007 W. Woodruff | February 17, 1943 | 2nd Alarm | Fireman Howard Ripple burned to death in the attic. |
Michigan Bean Co. | 1310 Elm Street | October 11, 1943 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $190,000 loss |
Colony Business Block | 2100 W. Central Ave | January 12, 1944 | 3rd Alarm and specials - Fireman James Fakehany lost his life in the basement. Fire started in basement near bowling alleys. | $500,000 loss |
Fiske Refinery | Oakdale | September 27, 1943 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $350,000 loss |
Harry’s Auto Store | 444 Summit St at Jackson | January 20, 1944 | 4th Alarm and specials - 5 story accessory building damaged. | $242,740 loss |
[no data available] | 915 Indiana | January 30, 1945 | Five children of Mrs. Henriette Johnson burned to death. Heating stove exploded. | [no data available] |
D.J. Marleau Hardware | 3516 N. Detroit | August 4, 1945 | 3rd Alarm | $75,000 loss |
St. Vincent de Paul | 114 Huron St. | October 15, 1945 | 3rd Alarm and specials | Loss undetermined |
Goodwill Industries | 627 Huron Street | April 12, 1946 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $100,000 loss |
Roanoke Hotel and United Moving and Storage Co. | 712 Superior | November 13, 1947 | 3rd Alarm and specials | Loss undetermined |
Page Dairy Co. | 301 Wade | March 8, 1948 | 27 persons hospitalized and two men died when an ammonia drum was exploded by a welding torch blowing a 20’ by 40’ hole through the wall. | $150,000 loss |
Commercial Metal Treating Co. | 1608 Tracy | December 5, 1948 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $235,000 loss |
Loyal Order Moose | 802 Cherry | May 2, 1949 | 3rd Alarm | Loss undetermined |
615 Adams | Business block | August 26, 1949 | [no data available] | $67,038 loss |
Collingwood Presbyterian Church | 2108 Collingwood | January 8, 1950 | 2nd Alarm | $71,000 loss |
Precter Electric Co. | [no data available] | January 26, 1950 | [no data available] | $100,000 loss |
Swan Creek Lumber Co. | [no data available] | March 18, 1950 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $350,000 loss |
Modern Furniture Co. | Summit Street | June 12, 1950 | 3rd Alarm | $158,000 loss |
St. Paul’s Epicopal Church | 4th and Euclid | March 13, 1951 | 3rd Alarm | Unable to determine |
Banana Distributing Warehouse | 347 S. Erie St. | April 15, 1951 | 2nd Alarm and Specials | $50,000 loss |
Spring School | Stickney and Spring | June 5, 1951 | $140,000 loss | 3rd Alarm |
Ohio Tool Co. | 1730 Norwood | February 1, 1952 | 2nd Alarm and Specials | $220,000 loss |
Hettrick Manufacturing Co. | 1401 Summit Street | February 12, 1952 | 2nd Alarm | $68,000 loss |
Lucas County lumber Co. | 2216 Consaul Street | September 1, 1952 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $369,000 loss |
Buckeye News Co. | 2021 Adams | November 13, 1952 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $165,000 loss |
O&M Seed | 800 Mill Street - | December 17, 1952 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $116,000 loss |
Recreation Bowling Alleys | 929 Phillips | January 8, 1953 | 3rd Alarm | Loss undetermined |
Moore Ford Sales Co. | 2929 Monroe Street | November 10, 1955 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $200,000 loss |
Horn Hardware | 1222 Broadway | January 2, 1956 | 2nd Alarm and 4 specials | $125,000 loss |
Hy-Grade Meat Co. | 21 Superior Street | February 13, 1956 | 2nd Alarm - An explosion leveled buildings at 17, 19,15,13,23, and 25 Superior Street. 3 men killed | No fire loss |
Olimphia Bowling Alley | - - | March 29, 1956 | 2nd Alarm | $300,000 loss |
Leader Department Store | 1025 Sylvania Ave. | January 25, 1958 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $106,000 loss |
Feaks Restaurant | 235 Superior | April 5, 1958 | 2nd Alarm and 2 specials | $141,000 loss |
South Side Lumber Co. | 1307 Prouty Ave. | September 7, 1958 | 2nd and Specials | $107,000 loss |
Epworth Methodist Church | 545 W. Delaware | September 7, 1958 | 3rd and specials | $268,353 loss |
S. S. Distributers | 1100 W. Central | September 20, 1958 | 3rd and specials - Ken Williams killed | $158,000 loss |
Continental Grain Co. | 2404 Summit Street | May 16, 1959 | 2nd Alarm and 3 specials | $187,000 loss |
Bendix Steel Drum | 1044 Hanson St. | August 3, 1959 | 2nd and 3 specials | $352,164 loss |
Lagrange Builder Supply | 29 Lucas Street | January 26, 1961 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $250,000 loss |
St. Clair School | 631 St. Clair | July 8, 1961 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $51,000 loss |
Wachter Shoe Co. | 428 Summit St. | January 28, 1961 | 3rd Alarm | $80,000 loss |
Anthony Wayne Trail Fire- Gasoline Truck | Vinton and A.W.T. | June 10, 1961 | 4 firemen killed - 3rd Alarm | $50,000 loss |
Maumee Chemical Co. | # 2 Oak | May 10, 1962 | 3rd Alarm - 12 Civilians killed | $772,000 los |
Toledo Sports Center | 1516 Starr | February 9, 1963 | 2nd Alarm and 4 specials | $500,000 loss |
Overmeyer Warehouse and others | 2131 Smead | June 23, 1964 | 4th Alarm and specials | $375,000 loss |
W. T. Grant Co. | 3010 Monroe Street | April 7, 1964 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $410,000 loss |
Norfolk and Western R. R. Shops | Fremont and Creston | January 1, 1966 | 2nd Alarm and 5 specials | $100,000 loss |
Heating Trades Bldg. | 1714 N. 12th Street | May 28, 1966 | 3rd Alarm and 3 specials | $381,000 loss |
Foodtown Super Market | 3911 Secor | January 17, 1967 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $259,000 loss |
American Door and Sash Co. | 901 Hoag | September 12, 1967 | 3rd Alarm and 1 special | $147,000 loss |
BohI Equipment Co. | 1020 Laskey Road | December 5, 1967 | 3rd Alarm | $229,000 loss |
Westgate Shopping Center | 3301 W. Central | May 9, 1968 | 3rd Alarm | $765,845 loss |
Cricket West Shopping Center | 3151 W. Central | December 5, 1970 | 3rd Alarm | $400,000 loss |
Holly-House Apartments | 410 Alexis - | April 1, 1971 | 2nd Alarm and 2 specials | $229,506.96 loss |
Joseph’s Super Market | 2460 Cherry Street | July 9, 1971 | 2nd and 1 special | $348,414.39 loss |
Elm Storage | 2631 Harleau | February 18, 1972 | 3rd Alarm and 5 specials | $543,391.00 loss |
Hagerty Bowling Lanes | 1121 Jackson | June 12, 1972 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $646,500 loss |
Port Lawrence Bldg. | 206 Michigan | June 14, 1972 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $301,000 loss |
Vroman Foods Inc. | 4117 Fitch | July 4, 1972 | 2nd Alarm | $342,000 loss |
Vinlast Corporation | 2077-2135 Smead | May 14, 1973 | 3rd Alarm and 4 specials | $1,280,000 loss |
Mancy Restaurant | 937 Phillips | August 14, 1973 | 2nd Alarm and 4 specials | $500,000 loss |
Interlake Steel Co. | 2401 Front | December 23, 1974 | 2 dead and 10 injured | $900,000 loss |
Paul Minor Floral Supply | 1301-09 W. Bancroft | April 7, 1974 | 2nd Alarm | $204,859 loss |
Starr Lumber Co. | 1701-15 Starr - | October 23, 1974 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $117,340 loss |
Same fire - Nordman Roofing Co. | [no data available] | [no data available] | [no data available] | $39,673 loss |
Kent Branch Library | 3026 Collingwood | December 1, 1974 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $548,484 loss |
Apex Bolt and Machine Co. | 1007 Front | April 24, 1975 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $103,100 loss |
Sacred Heart Church | 509 Oswald | May 18, 1975 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $350,000 loss |
Wayne Lumber Co. | 202 Canal | June 18, 1975 | 3rd Alarm | $220,000 loss |
Barrett Shoe Company/ Main Restaurant | 133-35 Main Street | June 26, 1975 | 2nd Alarm and specials | $155,200 loss |
Bismac International, Inc. | 1011 Utica | September 4, 1975 | 3rd Alarm | $417,000 loss |
Lucas County Lumber Co. | 2216 Counsaul St. | June 9, 1976 | 3rd Alarm and specials | $265,000 loss |