North Carolina Largest Fires by Mike Legeros

North Carolina Largest Fires Database

Last updated April 19, 2009

See Deadliest Fires Database for fires with large loss of life. Contact Mike Legeros to contribute or correct information.

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Year Date Location County Loss (K) Blocks Buildings Notes

1816 Jun 11 Raleigh Wake 51 Destroyed 51 buildings in first two blocks of Fayetteville Street.

1819 Nov Wilmington New Hanover Large section of town.

1831 May 29 Fayetteville Cumberland 600+ Over 600 structures.

1835 New Bern Craven Several blocks destroyed.

1837 New Bern Craven Several blocks destroyed.

1843 New Bern Craven Several blocks destroyed.

1849 Jan Greensboro Guilford Business district destroyed.

1854 Dec 18 Statesville Iredell Half of town destroyed or damaged.

1860s Washington Beaufort Large part of town, after Northern troops set fire to stockpile of naval stores.

1864 Nov 19 Wilmington New Hanover 20+ Fire on wharf destroys more than 20 buildings.

1869 Sep 4 Goldsboro Wayne 13 Wayne House, Masonic Hall, lumberyard, ten warehouses. Source: NYT.

1872 Greensboro Guilford Larger portion of town.

1873 Apr 6 Enfield Halifax Two railroad warehouses, and other structures.

1880 Dec 1 Durham Durham 200 Half of the town, loss over $200,000. Source: NYT.

1886 Nov 16 Durham Durham Large portion of town destroyed.

1886 Wilmington New Hanover Waterfront fire, burned for several days, destroyed many buildings.

1887 Mar 27 Clinton Sampson 49 49 dwellings, started in F. Reichmann's store.

1888 Durham Durham Fire 1 of 2, destroyed two blocks or more.

1888 Durham Durham Fire 2 of 2, destroyed two blocks or more.

1890 Thomasville Davidson Nearly every business on East Main Street.

1892 Jan 7 Raleigh Wake 30 Destroyed 30 buildings.

1892 Oct 5 Clinton Sampson Entire block of Wall Street.

1899 May 5 Greenville Pitt 25 25 stores and offices.

1900 Sep 14 Washington Beaufort Business district destroyed.

1902 Clinton Sampson 43+ Entire southern section of town, including 43 stores.

1907 Apr 7 Salisbury Rowan 5 Five manufacturing plants.

1911 Jun 12 Apex Wake Business district destroyed.

1912 Black Mountain Buncombe Most of downtown business district around Depot and Cherry streets.

1913 Feb 6 Rolesville Wake 10 Business section of town, ten buildings destroyed.

1914 Mar 23 Durham Durham Large portion of business district destroyed.

1918 Jul 2 Charlotte Mecklenburg 48 48 homes, 250 homeless, started on Caldwell Street.

1918 Burlington Alamance Downtown.

1922 Dec 1 New Bern Craven 2,000+ 40 1,000+ Destroyed 40 blocks and left 3,000 people homeless.

1923 Oct 4 Blowing Rock Watauga Large part of business district. Destroyed "entire block of business houses." Led to formation of fire department. Source: Statesville Landmark, 08OCT23.

1933 May 29 Charlotte Mecklenburg Virginia Carolina Chemical Company, West Tremont Avenue. Source: yearbook.

1934 Jan 28 Wrightsville Beach New Hanover Northern end of island.

1935 Jun 22 Washington Beaufort Moss Planning Mill Company. Five commercial buildings and four homes destroyed, and one firefighter killed.

1936 May Lexington Davidson United Furniture Corporation. Fire fought over 12 hours.

1940 Feb 7 Knightdale Wake 6 Business section of town. Six structures destroyed.

1941 Newport Carteret Business district.

1944 Jan 14 Greensboro Guilford Gasoline tanker explodes, burns houses in 1000 block of Gorrell Street. Source: yearbook.

1944 Apr 8 N/A Pasquotank 450 Forman-Derrickson Lumber Company. $450,000 loss.

1946 Mar 7 Fuquay Springs Wake Main block of downtown. Four businesses destroyed, five others damaged.

1949 Jan 21 Wilmington New Hanover 399 7 Orton Hotel, plus six adjacent buildings, $399,298 loss.

1953 Mar 9 Wilmington New Hanover Warehouses and other buildings.

1954 Jun 24 Charlotte Mecklenburg Southern Railway Freight Terminal, South College Street. Building, 23 freight cars, 7 autos. Source: Yearbook.

1956 Feb 14 Winston-Salem Forsyth 1,490 B. F. Huntley furniture plant, $1,490,000 loss.

1959 Jun 28 Greensboro Guilford New Home Building Supply Company, South Mendenhall Street. Estimated $250,000 damage. Source: yearbook.

1961 Sep 26 Morehead City Carteret Navy tanker explodes and burns in Newport River, at Radio Island aviation fuel farm.

1964 Oct 19 Charlotte Mecklenburg Doggett Lumber Company, South Boulevard & East Park Avenue. Last general alarm fought by CFD. Source: Yearbook.

1964 Dec 23 Burlington Alamance Downtown.

1965 New Bern Craven Hotel William Tryon. Crews on scene for 43 hours.

1969 Apr Asheville Buncombe Bank of Asheville and Dunham's Music House buildings downtown.

1970 Oct 14 Greensboro Guilford Greensboro Bonded Warehouse. Source: yearbook.

1978 Aug 8 Rocky Mount Nash Kaiser Agricultural Chemical Company. Source: RMFD yearbook.

1979 May 25 Shelby Cleveland Block destroyed, four firefighters killed.

1985 Apr 13 Greensboro Guilford 7 Seven buildings at 300 S. Davie Street.

1985 Apr 23 Charlotte Mecklenburg Royster Fertilizer Company, 2300 LaSalle Street. Three alarms. Estimated loss $7 million. Source: CFD yearbook.

1989 Oct 4 Swepsonville Alamance Old Virginia Mills plant.

1998 Aug 27 Winston-Salem Forsyth R.J. Reynolds Plant #256, 13 engines, 5 ladders, 9 hours to control.

2003 Jan 29 Kinston Lenoir West Pharmaceutical Plant explosion and fire. Over half of 150,000 square-foot plant destroyed.

2003 Sep 3 Swannanoa Buncombe Beacon Manufacturing Plant, 32 fire departments, 24 engines, 7 ladders, 7 tankers, 522 personnel.

2007 Feb 22 Raleigh Wake Townhouse community, 27 destroyed, 11 damaged, 72 people displaced.

2008 Aug 17 Robbins Moore At least 45 firefighters from 5 counties at former textile plant.

Sources

NYT - New York Times

Year	Date	Location	County	Loss (K)	Blocks	Buildings	Notes
1816	Jun 11	Raleigh	Wake			51	Destroyed 51 buildings in first two blocks of Fayetteville Street.
1819	Nov	Wilmington	New Hanover				Large section of town.
1831	May 29	Fayetteville	Cumberland			600+	Over 600 structures.
1835		New Bern	Craven				Several blocks destroyed.
1837		New Bern	Craven				Several blocks destroyed.
1843		New Bern	Craven				Several blocks destroyed.
1849	Jan	Greensboro	Guilford				Business district destroyed.
1854	Dec 18	Statesville	Iredell				Half of town destroyed or damaged.
1860s		Washington	Beaufort				Large part of town, after Northern troops set fire to stockpile of naval stores.
1864	Nov 19	Wilmington	New Hanover			20+	Fire on wharf destroys more than 20 buildings.
1869	Sep 4	Goldsboro	Wayne			13	Wayne House, Masonic Hall, lumberyard, ten warehouses. Source: NYT.
1872		Greensboro	Guilford				Larger portion of town.
1873	Apr 6	Enfield	Halifax				Two railroad warehouses, and other structures.
1880	Dec 1	Durham	Durham	200			Half of the town, loss over $200,000. Source: NYT.
1886	Nov 16	Durham	Durham				Large portion of town destroyed.
1886		Wilmington	New Hanover				Waterfront fire, burned for several days, destroyed many buildings.
1887	Mar 27	Clinton	Sampson			49	49 dwellings, started in F. Reichmann's store.
1888		Durham	Durham				Fire 1 of 2, destroyed two blocks or more.
1888		Durham	Durham				Fire 2 of 2, destroyed two blocks or more.
1890		Thomasville	Davidson				Nearly every business on East Main Street.
1892	Jan 7	Raleigh	Wake			30	Destroyed 30 buildings.
1892	Oct 5	Clinton	Sampson				Entire block of Wall Street.
1899	May 5	Greenville	Pitt			25	25 stores and offices.
1900	Sep 14	Washington	Beaufort				Business district destroyed.
1902		Clinton	Sampson			43+	Entire southern section of town, including 43 stores.
1907	Apr 7	Salisbury	Rowan			5	Five manufacturing plants.
1911	Jun 12	Apex	Wake				Business district destroyed.
1912		Black Mountain	Buncombe				Most of downtown business district around Depot and Cherry streets.
1913	Feb 6	Rolesville	Wake			10	Business section of town, ten buildings destroyed.
1914	Mar 23	Durham	Durham				Large portion of business district destroyed.
1918	Jul 2	Charlotte	Mecklenburg			48	48 homes, 250 homeless, started on Caldwell Street.
1918		Burlington	Alamance				Downtown.
1922	Dec 1	New Bern	Craven	2,000+	40	1,000+	Destroyed 40 blocks and left 3,000 people homeless.
1923	Oct 4	Blowing Rock	Watauga				Large part of business district. Destroyed "entire block of business houses." Led to formation of fire department. Source: Statesville Landmark, 08OCT23.
1933	May 29	Charlotte	Mecklenburg				Virginia Carolina Chemical Company, West Tremont Avenue. Source: yearbook.
1934	Jan 28	Wrightsville Beach	New Hanover				Northern end of island.
1935	Jun 22	Washington	Beaufort				Moss Planning Mill Company. Five commercial buildings and four homes destroyed, and one firefighter killed.
1936	May	Lexington	Davidson				United Furniture Corporation. Fire fought over 12 hours.
1940	Feb 7	Knightdale	Wake			6	Business section of town. Six structures destroyed.
1941		Newport	Carteret				Business district.
1944	Jan 14	Greensboro	Guilford				Gasoline tanker explodes, burns houses in 1000 block of Gorrell Street. Source: yearbook.
1944	Apr 8	N/A	Pasquotank	450			Forman-Derrickson Lumber Company. $450,000 loss.
1946	Mar 7	Fuquay Springs	Wake				Main block of downtown. Four businesses destroyed, five others damaged.
1949	Jan 21	Wilmington	New Hanover	399		7	Orton Hotel, plus six adjacent buildings, $399,298 loss.
1953	Mar 9	Wilmington	New Hanover				Warehouses and other buildings.
1954	Jun 24	Charlotte	Mecklenburg				Southern Railway Freight Terminal, South College Street. Building, 23 freight cars, 7 autos. Source: Yearbook.
1956	Feb 14	Winston-Salem	Forsyth	1,490			B. F. Huntley furniture plant, $1,490,000 loss.
1959	Jun 28	Greensboro	Guilford				New Home Building Supply Company, South Mendenhall Street. Estimated $250,000 damage. Source: yearbook.
1961	Sep 26	Morehead City	Carteret				Navy tanker explodes and burns in Newport River, at Radio Island aviation fuel farm.
1964	Oct 19	Charlotte	Mecklenburg				Doggett Lumber Company, South Boulevard & East Park Avenue. Last general alarm fought by CFD. Source: Yearbook.
1964	Dec 23	Burlington	Alamance				Downtown.
1965		New Bern	Craven				Hotel William Tryon. Crews on scene for 43 hours.
1969	Apr	Asheville	Buncombe				Bank of Asheville and Dunham's Music House buildings downtown.
1970	Oct 14	Greensboro	Guilford				Greensboro Bonded Warehouse. Source: yearbook.
1978	Aug 8	Rocky Mount	Nash				Kaiser Agricultural Chemical Company. Source: RMFD yearbook.
1979	May 25	Shelby	Cleveland				Block destroyed, four firefighters killed.
1985	Apr 13	Greensboro	Guilford			7	Seven buildings at 300 S. Davie Street.
1985	Apr 23	Charlotte	Mecklenburg				Royster Fertilizer Company, 2300 LaSalle Street. Three alarms. Estimated loss $7 million. Source: CFD yearbook.
1989	Oct 4	Swepsonville	Alamance				Old Virginia Mills plant.
1998	Aug 27	Winston-Salem	Forsyth				R.J. Reynolds Plant #256, 13 engines, 5 ladders, 9 hours to control.
2003	Jan 29	Kinston	Lenoir				West Pharmaceutical Plant explosion and fire. Over half of 150,000 square-foot plant destroyed.
2003	Sep 3	Swannanoa	Buncombe				Beacon Manufacturing Plant, 32 fire departments, 24 engines, 7 ladders, 7 tankers, 522 personnel.
2007	Feb 22	Raleigh	Wake				Townhouse community, 27 destroyed, 11 damaged, 72 people displaced.
2008	Aug 17	Robbins	Moore				At least 45 firefighters from 5 counties at former textile plant.

North Carolina Largest Fires Database

Sources

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