Great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead
Ruins of the Bertram's warehouse; St. Mary's Church in the background | |
Location in Tyne and Wear | |
| Date | October 6–7, 1854 |
|---|---|
| Location | Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 54°58′05″N 1°36′22″W / 54.968°N 1.606°W |
| Type | Structure fire with subsequent explosions |
| Cause | Accidental ignition |
| Deaths | 53 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 400–500 |
| Property damage | Hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed, wharfs and ships damaged or sunk; total losses estimated to be in excess of £500,000 |
| Inquiries | Fire was determined to be mysterious but likely accidental; explosions were determined to be a result of mixing of chemicals in the original warehouse |
The great fire of Gateshead and Newcastle was a tragic and spectacular series of events starting on Friday 6 October 1854, in which a substantial amount of property in two North East England towns was destroyed in a series of fires and an explosion which killed 53 and injured hundreds. There is only one building still extant on the Newcastle Quayside which predated the fire.