1776 Fire destroys most of the old parts of New York City. 1780 Richmond becomes the new capital of Virginia. 1781 Fire destroys the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg. Another fire burns the President's House at the College of William and Mary. The General Assembly passes an act to establish fire companies in Virginia.
Fire destroys more than eight hundred buildings in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1800 Fireboats are used in New York Harbor. 1832 Remains of the Capitol building in Williamsburg are destroyed by fire. 1834 Fire in London, England, destroys the Houses of Parliament and part of the city. Fire destroys 530 buildings in New York City. William Channing and Moses Farmer invent an electric fire alarm system and install it in Boston.