Natural and Man-Made Disasters | Was The Chicago Fire Really Started By A Cow?
Was the Chicago fire really started by a cow?
According to the traditional tale, a cow owned by Mrs. Kate O'Leary at 137 De Koven Street started the Chicago fire of 1871 by kicking over a kerosene lantern. Although an inquiry into the fire took place, it could not be proven conclusively that Mrs. O'Leary's cow had ignited the blaze. However, it was confirmed that the fired did begin in the O'Learys' barn. The fire may not have proven to be so devastating had it not been for various circumstances. First, the previous summer had been extremely dry, and many small fires had already plagued the city. These dry conditions, combined with the fact that the fire dispatcher had sent the fire engine to the wrong location, caused the blaze to spread too far to be controlled.
Whatever the cause, the fire burned from October 8 to October 9, 1871, forcing 100,000 people to flee and leaving the north side of the city in...
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