Great Fire of Toronto (1849)

King Street looking west from Jarvis Street prior to 1849. All buildings to the right of the tree were destroyed by the fire. The first building on the left, the former City Hall, was damaged as were some of the buildings to the west.

The Great Fire of Toronto of 1849, April 7, 1849, also known as the Cathedral Fire, was the first major fire in the history of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Much of the Market Block, the business core of the city, was wiped out, including the predecessor of the current St. James Cathedral. The 1831 building of the Toronto City Hall and St. Lawrence Market south of King was damaged and was torn down.