A fire broke out in Atlanta, Georgia right after noon on Monday, May 21, 1917. It became one of the most devastating fires in American history. When the fire was finally subdued at 10 p.m. that night, more than 300 acres of the city had been destroyed. This included almost 2,000 homes, churches and businesses, leaving more than 10,000 people without a place to stay. More than 22 million gallons of water were pumped to fight the fire over the 11-hour battle. Miraculously, there was only one casualty – a woman had a heart attack after her home burned.
Monday Morning Recipe for Disaster
The day was warm and sunny, with a good breeze coming out of the south. It had already been a busy day for Atlanta firefighters – at least four other calls took place between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. At 12:46 p.m., firefighters received a call from a warehouse north of Decatur Street. The crew that responded found a pile of mattresses ablaze. But since firefighters were already spread thin throughout the city, they had no equipment to put out the small fire. By the time backup arrived, it was too late. The fire was spreading north rapidly.
Great Atlanta Fire
The fire moved quickly all the way to Edgewood Avenue, spreading to residential areas in Sweet Auburn. Because the space between Decatur and Edgewood was packed with small shanties and lean-to buildings, the fire had plenty of fuel and went out of control swiftly. The fire continued to spread, racing through Parkway and Charles Allen, all the way to Highland. When the fire hit Highland, it began to spread east and west, destroying homes as it went. By 4:00 p.m., firefighters were desperate enough to begin dynamiting homes along Pine, Charles Allen and Ponce de Leon in an attempt to slow the blaze. The fire slowed with nightfall and was finally put out at 10 p.m. It had carved a mile long swathe through Atlanta.
Sifting Through the Ashes
Over 85% of the burned buildings had used wood shingles. Because of this, the city banned them in all new construction. By 1931, wood shingles were eliminated – all older buildings had replaced them.
To this day, some areas devastated by the fire remain empty. Commercial areas arose quickly, followed later by several apartment buildings along Charles Allen and Ponce. King Memorial and Central Park have remained undeveloped since the fire. Atlanta Medical Center was constructed on 50 acres around Charles Allen and Highland. The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 changed the face of the city forever. It would be more than 70 years before another urban fire rivaled it in severity – the Oakland Hills firestorm in 1991.
