San Francisco’s Earthquake of 1906

On the morning of April 18, 1906, a massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake shook the city of San Francisco, California, delivering a punch 12,000 times more powerful than the bomb exploded over Hiroshima.

While the quake lasted less than a minute, it managed to sever gas and water mains, which would soon devastate and burn down nearly 500 city blocks.

The earthquake and subsequent fire killed an estimated 3000 people and left half of the city’s 400,000 residents homeless and destitute. To this day, the earthquake and subsequent inferno remains the greatest natural disaster suffered by a north American city.

Around 9 AM, someone living in the hays district kindled a fire to cook breakfast, not knowing their chimney had been compromised. Nicknamed the ham and eggs fire, by noon, the resulting fire threatened the entire city.

Ruptured gas mains quickly spread the fire into full conflagration, while ruptured water mains made it impossible for fire brigades to combat the spreading fires.

Among the many landmarks lost was the Palace Hotel, built by silver kings Billy Ralston and William Sharon. Enrico Caruso, the famous singer, was staying at the hotel and had to flee for his life.

Palace bartenders gave away expensive bottles of wine, knowing the hotel would soon burn to the ground. The worst casualties were south of market, where Ralston and Sharon had used their money and bulldozers to reclaim useable land from the marshy shores of San Francisco Bay.

The worst loss of life in the south of market district was the collapse of the Valencia Hotel, where upwards of 80 people lost their lives.

“2:30 pm, the city practically ruined by fire. it’s within half a block of us. the caul building is burned out entirely. the examiner building just fell in a heap. There’s fire all around us, and in every direction. destruction by earthquake—something frightful. they are blowing up standing buildings that are in the path of flames by dynamite. no water to fight the fire, it’s awful. I want to get out of here, or be blown up so I can go on to heaven.”

While half the city lived in tents set up in open spaces and parks, it would take four years for the city to rebuild from one of the worst natural disasters the world has ever known.