Gutted! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chicago

Most buildings at the time were timber, and to add to the fire risk the sidewalks, (wooden), had just been completed. 1871 was a very dry summer so when fire began it took hold very easily. 17,000 buildings were gutted.

Answer: London

This fire engulfed and destroyed all the timber-framed and wooden buildings of medieval London. The new buildings were all made of brick and stone. Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt many of the churches in London and his masterpiece is St. Paul's Cathedral.

Originally he submitted a plan for the complete reconstruction (including a new lay-out for the streets) of London as a grandiose Baroque city, but the cost and the urgent need to proceed quickly with rebuilding made his proposal impractical.

Answer: Toronto

The fire broke out in Barnes and Noble, a tie making factory. It was bitterly cold with sub zero temperatures, so ice was a problem. A gale force wind fanned the flames. No one was killed but 5,000 were made idle and immense damage was caused.

Answer: New York

Fire broke out on December 16, 1835. Strong winds drove what was a small fire to begin with into a catastrophe. Many merchants discovered that they were not covered by insurance, while insurance companies were burned down in the financial district. The fire was finally stopped by blowing up buildings in its path.

Answer: It started the same day as the Chicago fire

Peshtigo was a boom town on the railroad. It was also home to the world's biggest wooden ware factory. 1,125 people were killed the fire was so intense that 1.25 million acres of forest were scorched. It all happened the same day as the great Chicago fire.

Answer: Exits locked

Tragically, the emergency exits were blocked. When firefighters finally gained access to the club they found bodies piled up at the exits as people desperately tried to escape. 142 people lost their lives that night.

Answer: A match

No one was allowed to smoke on the system, but as they were leaving the station many smokers lit up. A discarded match fell between the wooden escalator slats where it set fire to rubbish and grease. A fire ball developed which engulfed the ticket hall, killing 31.

Answer: Oil rig

Maintenance workers asked permission to stop work on a propane condensate pump. Due to poor communications the next work shift were unaware of this and started the pump. The resulting explosions killed 162 people and caused the platform to melt with the intensity of the heat.

Answer: Tyres

This road tunnel at 10 miles is the second longest in the world.Two lorries collided and a fire started. Fumes and thick black smoke poured out of the tunnel. The heat was so intense that the firefighters could not even enter for a time. At least 10 people died.

Answer: Australia

On Feb 16 in 1983 180 bushfires were raging over Victoria and South Australia. By the time they were brought under control 76 people had died, 3,700 buildings were gutted including 1,000 farms.