On this date in 1919, Grand Forks woke up to learn that their neighbors in East Grand Forks had suffered a devastating fire. The policeman on night duty had attended to the furnace in city hall, and everything was in order at that time. Around 2:15 a.m., he looked out and saw flames coming from the second-story windows of city hall. He immediately called the East Grand Forks Fire Department, then called the Grand Forks Fire Department for backup.
The East Grand Forks Fire Department was located next to city hall. The fire chief and three firefighters, who slept at the station, woke up to the smell of smoke and barely escaped with their lives. The firefighters escaped through a window. The fire chief slid down the pole, trying to reach the switch that would open the big doors and release the fire horses. When he reached the ground floor, he found the fire had already spread, and he couldn’t open the doors. He suffered burns to his arms and head but managed to escape. Sadly, the fire horses were lost in the blaze.
The Grand Forks Fire Department arrived a few minutes later and immediately began fighting the fire. The fire was declared under control at 8:30 that morning. In addition to the horses, the fire department lost a fire engine, a hose wagon, and several lengths of hose. City hall was a total loss—doors and windows were blown out, the roof caved in, and several walls collapsed. East Grand Forks placed an order for new fire hoses and planned to use a truck in place of the horse-drawn fire engine until a new one could be obtained. The Grand Forks Fire Department committed to protecting East Grand Forks until their fire equipment could be replaced.
The newspaper article noted that this fire was the latest in a string of fires that had plagued the city over the past few months. A livery stable, a lumber company, and the Union Hotel were among the victims. The fire chief was certain the fires were no accident and believed there was a pyromaniac on the loose. The fires eventually stopped, but no culprit was ever caught.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Grand Forks Herald. “Morning Fire Destroys City Hall.” Grand Forks ND. 2/10/1919. Page 5.
- Grand Forks Herald. “Fires Not Accidental.” Grand Forks ND. 2/25/1919. Page 3.
