In the frigid darkness of a February morning, a devastating fire swept through the heart of Oskaloosa, Iowa. The inferno, which began in the furnace of the Fitch Brothers’ brick building on West High Avenue, would prove to be a costly and destructive force. The two-story structure, home to a wholesale and retail harness and saddlery store, stood across the alley from the popular Baidauf’s dry goods store. At 2:45 AM on February 10, 1905, flames erupted in the basement, sending panicked residents scrambling for their lives. As the fire department and a contingent of volunteer firefighters battled the blaze, icy winds howled through the streets, threatening to spread the inferno to neighboring buildings. Miraculously, the men managed to contain the fire after six grueling hours, but not before three brick structures were reduced to smoldering ruins and three others suffered significant damage. The estimated loss: a staggering $150,000.
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Key Facts
- State: IA
- Category: Violent Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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