25 largest fire losses in U.S. history
| Rank |
Event |
Date |
Loss in year
it occurred |
Adjusted loss
(in 2011 dollars) |
| 1 |
The World Trade Center
New York, NY |
September 11, 2001 |
$33.4 billion |
$42.4 billion |
| 2 |
Earthquake and fire (PDF, 1.7 MB)
San Francisco, CA
(See Virtual Museum of the City of San Franciso for more information on this disaster.) |
April 18, 1906 |
$350 million |
$8.7 billion |
| 3 |
Great Chicago Fire*
Chicago, IL
|
October 8-9, 1871 |
$168 million |
$3.1 billion |
| 4 |
Oakland Fire Storm (wildland/urban interface)
Oakland, CA |
October 20, 1991 |
$1.5 billion |
$2.5 billion |
| 5 |
The Southern California firestorm
San Diego County, CA |
October 20, 2007 |
$1.8 billion |
$2.0 billion |
| 6 |
Great Boston Fire
Boston, MA |
November 9, 1872 |
$75 million |
$1.4 billion |
| 7 |
Polyolefin Plant
Pasadena, TX |
October 23, 1989 |
$750 million |
$1.4 billion |
| 8 |
"Cerro Grande" Wildland Fire
Los Alamos, New Mexico |
May 4, 2000 |
$1.0 billion |
$1.3 billion |
| 9 |
Wildland fire "Cedar"
Julian, CA |
October 25, 2003
|
$1.1 billion |
$1.3 billion |
| 10 |
Baltimore conflagration
Baltimore, MD |
February 7, 1904 |
$50 million |
$1.2 billion |
| 11 |
Wildland fire "Old"
San Bernadino, CA |
October 25, 2003 |
$975 million |
$1.2 billion |
| 12 |
Los Angeles civil disturbance
Los Angeles, CA |
April 29-May 1, 1992 |
$567 million |
$909 million |
| 13 |
Power plant (auto manufacturing complex)
Dearborn, MI |
February 1, 1999 |
$650 million |
$876 million |
| 14 |
Southern California November wildfire**
Sacramento, CA |
November 13, 2008 |
$800 million |
$836 million |
| 15 |
Laguna Beach Fire (wildland/urban interface)
Orange County, CA |
October 27, 1993 |
$528 million |
$821 million |
| 16 |
Textile mill
Methuen, MA |
December 11, 1995 |
$500 million |
$737 million |
| 17 |
U.S.S. Lafayette (formerly S.S. Normandie ocean liner)
New York, NY |
February 9, 1942 |
$53 million |
$731 million |
| 18 |
S.S. Grandcamp and Chemical Co. Plant
Texas City, TX |
April 16, 1947 |
$67 million |
$675 million |
| 19 |
Petroleum refinery
Norco, LA |
May 5, 1988 |
$330 million |
$627 million |
| 20 |
Cargo plane in-flight fire
near Newburgh, NY |
September 5, 1996 |
$395 million |
$566 million |
| 21 |
Great Fire of New York
New York, NY |
December 16, 1835 |
$26 million |
$564 million |
| 22 |
Wildland fire**
Florida |
May-June 1998 |
$395 million |
$544 million |
| 23 |
One Meridian Plaza (high-rise office building)
Philadelphia, PA |
February 23, 1991 |
$325 million |
$536 million |
| 24 |
Forest fire
Clouquet, MN |
October 12, 1918 |
$35 million |
$521 million |
| 25 |
Apollo Spacecraft cabin
Cape Kennedy, FL |
January 27, 1967 |
$75 million |
$504 million |
Source: Loss estimates are from NFPA records. Adjustment to 2011 dollars done using the Consumer Price Index, including Census Bureau estimates for historical times. The list is limited to fires with some reliable dollar-loss estimate that occur in or over the U.S.A.
*Each year Fire Prevention Week falls in the week of October 9th, and thus the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 is dedicated to encouraging fire safety. The National Fire Protection Association has been the proud sponsor of Fire Prevention Week ever since it was first proclaimed in 1922 by President Warren G. Harding.
** Includes multiple fires
Updated: 9/12