Workers cool a safe amid the ruins of Fifth National Bank after the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871. The conflagration’s extraordinary heat reduced whole city blocks to ash, leaving scorched ironwork and masonry in its wake.
About 300 people died, while the rapidly spreading flames displaced tens of thousands of residents and devastated the heart of Chicago’s commercial district.
This photograph records the immediate aftermath as workers sought to recover assets from the bank’s vaults. The catastrophe was followed by an immense rebuilding campaign and helped spur stronger fire-safety and building standards.
