The Great San Francisco Fire and Earthquake of 1906

 By Bruce Shawkey

The greatest damage of the 1906 earthquake occurred when many of San Francisco's water and gas mains were ruptured. Leaking gas was the catalyst for fires that quickly spread throughout the city and the lack of water made fire fighting a challenge. Approximately one hour after the earthquake, the San Francisco Fire Department sent a messenger to the Presidio to request an artillery division to assist with the containment of fires. Several hours later, artillery troops from Fort Miley arrived in San Francisco and unsuccessfully attempted to control the fires by dynamiting strategic buildings. By noon, the financial district was engulfed in flames and when evening fell the city center had also been incinerated.

The earthquake struck on April 18, 1906, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. It caused widespread destruction, with buildings collapsing and infrastructure severely damaged. The resulting fires, fueled by broken gas lines, lasted for several days and destroyed much of the city. An estimated 3,000 people lost their lives, and over 200,000 were left homeless. Conflagrations soon broke out in San Francisco and lasted for several days. More than 80% of the city was destroyed. The event is remembered as the deadliest earthquake in U.S. history. The death toll remains the greatest loss of life from a natural disaster in California's history and high on the list of worst American disasters, natural or man-made. The disaster prompted significant changes in building codes and urban planning in San Francisco. It highlighted the need for improved emergency response and disaster preparedness measures.