06/10/2026
Belltown Fire – June 10, 1910
On the night of June 10, 1910, one of Seattle’s largest fires since the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 swept through Belltown.
The fire reportedly began when sparks from a passing locomotive ignited hay stored in the Galbraith Bacon stables near Railroad Avenue (today’s Alaskan Way) and Battery Street. Driven by 40-mph winds off Elliott Bay, the blaze quickly spread through warehouses, hotels, apartments, businesses, and homes.
By the time it was over, the Galbraith Bacon warehouse and stables had been destroyed, the four-story Glenorchy Hotel was gutted, and numerous apartment buildings, businesses, and homes were lost. Contemporary accounts estimated that between nine and thirteen city blocks burned, leaving hundreds homeless.
Many feared Seattle’s entire north end would be consumed. Firefighters fought desperately to protect surrounding exposures, but it was ultimately a sudden rainstorm and a break in the wind that helped bring the inferno to an end.
The fire occurred during a period of transition for the Seattle Fire Department. Earlier that year, Seattle placed its first motorized fire engine into service, though most apparatus were still horse-drawn. In fact, Seattle’s 1910 city directory listed 38 livery stables throughout the city.
Just 21 years after the Great Seattle Fire, the Belltown Fire served as a stark reminder that Seattle remained vulnerable to devastating urban fires.
