Early on the morning of February 23, 1900 fire was noticed on the ground floor of the Grand Opera/Masonic Temple building by a passing policeman. The building caretaker was immediately woken up and the alarm was called in for the three fire halls. The full strength of each fire hall arrived quickly and set up lines to hydrants on three sides of the building. The worst of the fire was found to be under the theatre stage and rapidly spread through the rest of the theatre. Dense smoke spread quickly through the surrounding hallways. Water was poured over the building from multiple sides in an attempt to slow the spread of the fire that rapidly spread through the building. The intensity of the fire on the market side of the building resulted in the flames leaping higher and eventually consuming much of the roof.

Tenants of the building included 12 Masonic Lodges, the Grand Opera House, Northern Life Assurance Company, Dominion Savings Company & many other smaller businesses. 3 days after the fire the decision was made to rebuild without including the Opera House in the plans. It was decided an extra floor would be added to the building along with an elevator and many modern conveniences. A local group began plans to build a new Grand Opera House at another location in downtown London. The origin of the almost $250,000 fire was uncertain. Soon after the rebuild the name of the building was changed to the Dominion Savings Building, after its new owner. In 1928 the building changed names again to the Richmond building. It was eventually demolished in 1967.

photo source – The book London Free Press From The Vault A Photo History of London by Jennifer Grainger
photo credit – Western Archives, Western University (Regional Collection)
info – The London Advertiser newspaper via www.canadiana.ca

Source: Vintage London, Ontario | Facebook