Skyscraper fire


A skyscraper fire or high-rise fire is a class of structural fire specific to tall buildings. Skyscraper fires are technically challenging for fire departments: they require unusually high degrees of organization and cooperation between participating firefighting units to contain and extinguish. Skyscraper fires are often multiple-alarm fires.

Notable fires in history

BuildingHeight CityCountryDateDeathNotes
Central Tower91 mSan Francisco1906-04-18 April 18, 1906?Burned in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
Merchants Exchange Building69 mSan Francisco1906-04-18 April 18, 1906?Burned in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
Old Chronicle Building95 mSan Francisco1906-04-18 April 18, 1906?Burned in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
Mutual Bank BuildingSan Francisco1906-04-18 April 18, 1906?Burned in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
Asch Building48 mNew York City1911-03-25 March 25, 1911146Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
The Sherry-Netherland171 mNew York City1927-04-12 April 12, 19270Occurred during construction
Empire State Building381 mNew York City1945-07-28 July 28, 194514Plane crash
40 Wall Street283 mNew York City1946-05-20 May 20, 19465Plane crash
Winecoff Hotel59 mAtlanta1946-12-07 December 7, 1946119Deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history
Ronan Point64 mLondon1968-05-16 May 16, 19684Gas explosion caused partial collapse of the highrise.
1 New York Plaza192 mNew York City1970-08-05 August 5, 19702
Taeyongak HotelSeoul1971-12-25 December 25, 1971163Daeyeonggak Hotel fire, deadliest hotel fire in history
Andraus Building115 mSão Paulo1972-02-24 February 24, 197216
Rault TowerNew Orleans1972-11-29 November 29, 19726
Joelma BuildingSão Paulo1974-02-01 February 1, 1974179–189Joelma fire
One World Trade CenterNew York City1975-02-13 February 13, 19750
Campbell Shopping ComplexKuala Lumpur1976-04-08 April 8, 19761Campbell Shopping Complex fire
Bank BumiputraKuala Lumpur1980-11-80 November 4, 1980
MGM Grand HotelLas Vegas1980-11-21 November 21, 198084MGM Grand fire
Las Vegas HiltonLas Vegas1981-2-10 February 10, 19818Arson
Torre Santa MaríaSantiago1981-3-21 March 21, 198111Occurred when carpet glue ignited during carpet installation.
Al Rasheed HotelBaghdad1982-7-21 July 21, 19821Plane crash-Suicide by F-4 Phantom during Iran-Iraq War
Northwestern National BankMinneapolis1980-11-21 November 25–26, 19820Minneapolis Thanksgiving Day fire
KOMTARPenang1983-1-23 January 23, 19830
Prudential TowerBoston1983-1-23 January 2, 19860A nine-alarm fire in the building spread because of the lack of a sprinkler system.
Dupont Plaza HotelCondado, Puerto Rico1986-12-31 December 31, 198697Dupont Plaza Hotel arson
Schomburg PlazaNew York City1987-03-22 March 22, 19877
Hotel InternationalZurich1988-02-14 February 14, 19886Deadliest high-rise fire in Swiss history
First Interstate TowerLos Angeles1988-05-04 May 4, 19881First Interstate Tower fire
Peachtree 25th BuildingAtlanta1989-06-30 June 30, 19891
One Meridian PlazaPhiladelphia1991-02-23 February 23–24, 19913
UNITIC Twin TowersSarajevo1992-05-28 May 28, 1992Burned after being repeatedly hit by Serbian incendiary tank shells.
Executive Council BuildingSarajevo1992-05-28 May 28, 1992Burned after being repeatedly hit by Serbian incendiary tank shells.
Groeneveen and KruitbergAmsterdam1992-10-04 October 4, 199243El Al Flight 1862 plane crash, Partial collapse
One World Trade CenterNew York City1993-02-26 February 26, 19936Bombing which also resulted in 1,042 smoke related injuries
Stratosphere TowerLas Vegas1993-08-30 August 30, 19930Occurred during construction
White House Moscow1993-10-08 October 8, 1993unknownCaught fire from tank shelling during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis
Hotel OlympikPrague1995-05-26 May 25, 19958
Tower 42London1996-1-17 January 17, 19960Occurred during refurbishment
Garley buildingHong Kong1996-11-20 November 20, 1996411996 Garley Building fire
Ušće TowerBelgrade1999-04-21 April 21, 19990Struck by NATO air strikes during the Kosovo War setting the upper floors on fire.
Immigration TowerHong Kong2000-08-02 August 2, 20002Arson
Ostankino TowerMoscow2000-08-27 August 27, 20003Tallest structure in Europe
1 and 2 World Trade CenterNew York City2001-09-11 September 11, 20012312Plane crashes in the September 11 attacks, causing full structural collapse.
7 World Trade CenterNew York City2001-09-11 September 11, 20010Full structural collapse caused by debris from the collapse of Buildings 1 and 2 of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks.
90 West StreetNew York City2001-09-11 September 11, 20012Caused by debris from the collapse of Two World Trade Center: September 11 attacks
Pirelli TowerMilan2002-04-18 April 18, 20023Plane crash
Cook County Administration BuildingChicago2003-10-17 October 17, 20036Seven other seriously injured, fire thought to have been arson
Al Rasheed HotelBaghdad2003-12-26 December 26, 20031Twenty-eight 68 mm and 85 mm Katyusha rockets were fired at and struck the hotel
Parque Central Complex east towerCaracas2004-10-17 October 17, 20040Damage to 34th-44th floors
LaSalle National Bank BuildingChicago2004-12-07 December 7, 2004025 injured
Harrow CourtHertfordshire2005-02-02 February 2, 20053Harrow Court fire
Windsor TowerMadrid2005-02-12 February 12, 20050Partially collapsed; subsequently demolished
Tohid Town ResidentialTehran2005-12-06 December 6, 2005106Plane crash: 2005 Iranian Air Force C-130 crash
Transport TowerAstana2006-05-30 May 30, 20060Fire destroyed upper floors of 34-story government building
Belaire ApartmentsNew York City2006-10-11 October 11, 20062Plane crash
Fortune TowerDubai2007-01-18 January 18, 20074Occurred during construction, 57 injured
Shanghai World Financial CenterShanghai2007-08-14 August 14, 20070Occurred on 40th floor during construction
Deutsche Bank BuildingNew York City2007-08-18 August 18, 20072Occurred during dismantling, demolished due to damage from the September 11 attacks
The Water ClubAtlantic City2007-09-23 September 23, 20070Occurred during construction.
Monte Carlo Resort and CasinoLas Vegas2008-01-25 January 25, 20080Fire affecting top six floors
Abraj Al Bait TowersMecca2008-10-28 October 28, 20080Occurred during construction; fire consumed nine floors
Beijing Television Cultural CenterBeijing2009-02-09 February 9, 20091Beijing Television Cultural Center fire
Bashundhara City TowerDhaka2009-03-13 March 13, 20094
Abraj Al Bait TowersMecca2009-05-01 May 1, 20090Occurred during construction
Lakanal HouseLondon2009-07-03 July 3, 20096Lakanal House fire
Wooshin Golden SuitesBusan2010-09-01 September 1, 20100Wooshin Golden Suites fire
Unnamed high-rise apartment blockShanghai2010-11-15 November 15, 201058Occurred during renovation; 2010 Shanghai fire
Dynasty Wanxin building complex Towers A and B Shenyang2011-02-03 February 3, 20110Started from fireworks during Chinese New Year Celebrations.
Unnamed HighriseHanoi2011-12-16 December 15, 20110Fire occurred during construction, 11 workers injured.
Uncompleted high rise blockKuala Lumpur2012-01-18 January 18, 20120
Fico PlaceBangkok2012-03-03 March 3, 20120Two firemen injured
Federation Tower Moscow2012-04-2 April 2, 20120Occurred while the building was under construction
Al Tayer TowerSharjah2012-04-28 April 28, 20120
Polat Tower ResidenceIstanbul2012-07-17 July 17, 20120
Tamweel TowerDubai2012-11-18 November 18, 20120
Oko Tower 1Moscow2013-01-25 January 25, 20130Fire occurred on 24th floor during construction, one worker was injured.
Torre Ejecutiva Pemex TowerMexico City2013-01-31 January 31, 201333Gas explosion affecting the main building's 14 story annex Torre Ejecutiva Pemex explosion
Grozny-City TowersGrozny2013-04-03 April 3, 20130
Jianye MansionGuangzhou2013-04-03 December 15, 20130
The StrandNew York City2014-01-05 January 5, 20141
One57New York City2015-03-14 March 15, 20140Fire broke out in the loading dock, then spread to the courtyard and a neighboring property.
Lotus Park buildingMumbai2014-07-18 July 18, 20141
Lacrosse ApartmentsMelbourne2014-11-25 November 25, 20140Fire started on an 8th floor balcony and rapidly spread up the facade cladding.
Wedgwood ApartmentsCastle Hills, Texas2014-12-28 December 28, 20145
The Marina TorchDubai2015-02-21 February 21, 20150At least 7 people were injured.
Wisma KosgoroJakarta2015-03-10 March 10, 20150Fire destroyed floors 16–20.
Unnamed HighriseBaku2015-05-19 May 19, 201516See 2015 Baku residence building fire
Cosmopolitan of Las VegasLas Vegas2015-07-25 July 25, 20150Fire occurred on the pool deck fueled by cabanas and artificial trees; two people were treated for smoke inhalation.
Unnamed Residential TowerSharjah2015-10-01 October 1, 20150Fire burned building facade, 19 treated for smoke inhalation.
John Hancock CenterChicago2015-11-21 November 21, 20150A two-alarm fire broke out on the 50th floor. Five injured.
The Address Downtown DubaiDubai2015-12-31 December 31, 20151Occurred on New Year's Eve, 14 injured.
Plasco BuildingTehran2017-01-19 January 19, 201721The 17-story building collapsed after a fire started on the ninth floor. Seventy injured.
Grenfell TowerLondon2017-06-14 June 14, 201772The 24-storey tower block fire spread from the second floor to the top of the building. See Grenfell Tower fire
Pamchal Chitgar BuildingTehran2017-06-14 June 14, 20170The residential 20-storey tower - four injured
Marco Polo ApartmentsHonolulu2017-07-14 July 14, 20173Blaze started on the 26th floor of the 36-story apartments. Fire quickly spread to three more floors, making it a 5-alarm fire. This is the deadliest high-rise fire in Hawaii's history.
Rotana Hotel BuildingMashhad2017-07-22 July 22, 20170Under construction 20-storey hotel
The Marina TorchDubai2017-08-04 August 4, 20170
Trump TowerNew York City2018-04-30 April 7, 201816 firefighters injured
Trump International Hotel and Tower Baku2018-04-30 April 28, 20180Involved two separate fires the same day
Wilton Paes de Almeida BuildingSão Paulo2018-04-30 April 30, 20181Building collapsed shortly after blaze
Paramis BuildingTehran2018-07-22 July 22, 2018021-storey residential building
Bank of Lisbon building108mJohannesburg2018-09-06 September 6, 20183Building demolished/Imploded in 24 Nov 2019
FR Tower Dhaka2019-03-28 March 28, 201925
AXA Equitable CenterUnited States2019-06-10 June 10, 201912019 New York City helicopter crash
Abbco TowerUnited Arab Emirates2020-05-05 May 5, 2020125 injuries, likely started by a discarded cigarette or shisha coals

Gallery