 The Calgary Hook, Ladder and Bucket Corps sent to battle the fire and broke into the Canadian Pacific Railway's freight shed to retrieve the impounded chemical engine and begin battling the fire.During the course of battling the fire, the Corps determined it was necessary to form a firebreak to prevent further damage, and former mayor George Murdoch agreed and participated in the demolishing of his harness shop.An attempt was made to use gunpowder to blow up Murdoch's store, however the Calgary Weekly Herald noted ""failed owing to the force of the charge not being sufficiently concentrated"".