Pictures of Canadian Parliament Buildings Fire 1916

On a freezing February night in the middle of World War I, a sudden fire swept through the Canadian Parliament Buildings. By the next morning, seven people were dead and the Centre Block was just a pile of icy rubble. Rumours spread just as quickly that the fire was the result of enemy sabotage, but an investigation concluded that the Parliament Buildings fire was accidental, probably caused by careless smoking.

These historic pictures give an idea of the size of the Canadian Parliament Buildings fire, the conditions faced by the firefighters and militia who battled it, and the reconstruction work required.