Spokane 's growth continued unabated until August 4 , 1889 , when a fire , now known as The Great Fire ( not to be confused with the Great Fire of 1910 , which happened nearby ) , began just after 6:00 p.m. and destroyed the city 's downtown commercial district . Due to technical problems with a pump station , there was no water pressure in the city when the fire started . In a desperate bid to starve the fire , firefighters began razing buildings with dynamite . Eventually the winds and the fire died down ; 32 blocks of Spokane 's downtown core had been destroyed and one person killed
Great Fire of 1910
Great Fire of 1910
History of Spokane, Washington