The Fire Killed More Than the Quake — April 18, 1906, the San Francisco Earthquake
At 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck San Francisco. But the real destroyer was the three-day firestorm that followed. With no water, firefighters dynamited buildings to create firebreaks. 80% of the city was reduced to ashes. Over 3,000 dead, 225,000 homeless.
Apr 18, 2026