The Great Fall River fire of 1928 occurred on February 2–3, 1928 and destroyed a vast portion of downtown Fall River, Massachusetts. Although the city has had many other large fires, both before and after, the 1928 conflagration is generally considered the worst in the city's history, since it destroyed so many businesses at a time when the city's economy was already struggling from recent textile plant closings. By the time the fire was out, five city blocks were completely wiped out. Fortunately, no one was killed and only a few people suffered serious injuries.
At 5:45 p.m. on February 2, 1928, the fire broke out in Mill No. 2 of the Pocasset Manufacturing Company on Pocasset Street. It was a bitter cold evening and demolition workers had been dismantling the recently shuttered mills. The flames spread quickly through the mill complex. Within an hour, Fire Chief Jeremiah F. Sullivan sounded three alarms and called for outside help. By about 7:00 p.m. fire apparatus and departments from surrounding towns and as far away as Boston and Lowell would arrive to provide assistance.
A brisk southwest wind caused the flames to cross Central Street and hampered fire suppression. The wind shifted again to the west, spreading the fire across North Main Street. The wind shifted again to the northwest and drove the fire across Bedford Street. Temperatures hit a record low mark for the season, causing the fire hoses to freeze and hampering the efforts of the firemen.
At 2:30 a.m. the fire was declared under control. City Hall was damaged but had been saved. Various buildings in scattered sections of the area were still burning though.
It was not until Saturday noon, nearly two days after its start, that the fire was officially declared out. Police, National Guardsmen and Naval Reservists also provided assistance with securing the fire damaged areas.
Total damage was estimated at $20,000,000, although the actual amount was widely disputed by local businessmen. The cause of the blaze was determined to have started with a spark from a Salamander heater being used by the demolition crew to keep warm.
Within just a few years, many of the banks and commercial businesses were rebuilt, including the Granite Block, at the heart of the business district.
Five banks, three theatres, three hotels, two newspaper plants, twelve office buildings, a Jewish temple and a half dozen lunch rooms were destroyed.
Union Savings Bank
Citizens' Savings Bank
Massasoit-Pocasset Bank
Metacomet National Bank
Fall River Co-operative Bank
Rialto Theater
Premier Theatre
Mohican Theater Company
Mohican Hotel
Wilbur Hotel
Bay State Boarding House
Wilbur House
Fall River Globe Newspaper Building
Old Herald-News Building
L'Independent Publishing company
Remington Building
Bennett Building
Granite Block Building
Pocasset Mill Building
Miller Building
Telephone Company Building
Kresge Corner
Buffington Building
Talbots Clothing Store
O'Neil Hardware Store
Beth-El Synagogue
Central Police Station
Bus Terminal
City Hall
Armory
The Fall River Daily Globe
United Cigar Store.
Pen and Pallette, commercial artists
Service Printing Company
Thomas G. Barious company, restaurant
Conos Brothers, confectionery
Edwin J. Mills, deputy sheriff
Eugene S. Sullivan, deputy sheriff
Fall River Real Estate association
Albert A. Belanger, publisher
Frank Amber, barber
Herman J. Legare, auctioneer
Charles S. Graham, auctioneer
J. H. Hickey, real estate and insurance
Margaret I. Howarth, lawyer
Graham Loan company
Lake Mailing company, office supplies
The Exchange, real estate
Walker Typewriter company
Cook-Taylor Inc., mill supplies
Cash Brothers, Inc., roofers
Luxor Cab company
E. V . Cloutier, chiropodist
Cobb, Bates and Yerxa company, grocers
Baldwin's Credit Exchange
Alice Botway, dressmaker
Herbert A. Borden, stationer.
Brown company, druggists
George Collias, bootblack
Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway company information bureau
Central News and Delicatessen company
Mohican Drug Company, Inc.
Pacific Oil company
Durfee and Canning company
Eagle restaurant
City News company, news-dealers
Majestic restaurant
C. Warburton and Sons, florists
Crystal restaurant
The Norfolk Hosiery company
Joseph M. Madowsky, news agent
American Optical company
Anthony Brothers, music publishers
Dana C. Everett, cotton broker
McCartys' band and orchestra
Fall River Publicity Bureau, publishers
C. E. Gifford and company,jewelers
Astor Lunch
Massachusetts Income tax office
Income Tax Assessors
Fall River Historical Society
Aetna Life Insurance Company
Fall River Board of Underwriters
New England Insurance Exchange
Troy Co-operative bank
Hathaway and Company, cotton
Bryant Chapin, artist
Gagnon Printing company
Ann's Kitchen, restaurant
Checker Taxi company
Fall River Navigation Company, Inc.
Western Union Telegraph Company
Staples Coal Company of Fall River
U.S. Naval Reserves
The Munroe Press, printers
Burroughs Adding Machine Company
John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance company
Cotton Manufacturers association.
New York Life Insurance Company
Fall River Granite & Quarry Company
James Buffington, cotton cloth
Aldrich & Hawkins, cotton
Baldwin-Lesser Company cotton
Edward T. Robertson & Son, cotton controllers
Universal Thrift Stamp Company
Fall River Blue Print company
Flossie's Kitchen, restaurant
Fall River Poster Advertising company
Boston American
Boston Advertiser
Providence Journal
McDermott Lunch company.
City building department, garage
Smith Oil company, Inc., filling station
Standard Vulcanizing company