Fighting Fire! : Ten of the Deadliest Fires in American History and How We Fought Them

"From colonial times to the modern day, two things have remained constant in American history: the destructive power of fires and the bravery of those who fight them. Fighting Fire! brings to life ten of the deadliest infernos this nation has ever endured: the great fires of Boston, New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and San Francisco, the disasters of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the General Slocum, and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, the wildfire of Witch Creek in San Diego County, and the catastrophe of 9/11. Each blaze led to new firefighting techniques and technologies, yet the struggle against fires continues to this day. With historical images and a fast-paced text, this is both an exciting look at firefighting history and a celebration of the human spirit"--Provided by the publisher. Photographs and text describe ten of the deadliest fires in the history of the United States and discuss the strategies used to fight these fires. Stories include fires in 1760 Boston and 2007 San Diego County. "From colonial times to the modern day, two things have remained constant in American history: the destructive power of fires and the bravery of those who fight them. Fighting Fire! brings to life ten of the deadliest infernos this nation has ever endured: the great fires of Boston, New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and San Francisco, the disasters of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the General Slocum, and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, the wildfire of Witch Creek in San Diego County, and the catastrophe of 9/11. Each blaze led to new firefighting techniques and technologies, yet the struggle against fires continues to this day. With historical images and a fast-paced text, this is both an exciting look at firefighting history and a celebration of the human spirit"-- Provided by publisher Colonial America's biggest fire : Boston, 1760 - A terrible torrent of fire : New York, 1835 - America's most famous fire : Chicago, 1871 - New century, old problem : Baltimore, 1904 - Fire on the water : New York, 1904 - America's last great urban fire : San Francisco, 1906 - Deadly workplace fire : New York, 1911 - Nightclub tragedy : Boston, 1942 - 9/11 : fire in the sky : New York, 2001 - Wildfire : San Diego County, 2007.