At 5:12 a.m. on April 18 , 1906 , San Francisco felt the first foreshock , followed within 20 to 25 seconds later by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the resulting fire . The disaster caused 3,000 deaths , destroyed 28,000 buildings and left 225,000 persons without housing . The United States Army under the command of Brigadier General Frederick Funston immediately went into rescue operations when the earthquake hit . Fire chief Dennis T. Sullivan suffered a skull fracture when the dome of the California Hotel fell through the fire department building . He died four days later
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Leonie von Meusebach–Zesch