Dublin whiskey fire

An illustration of the Dublin whiskey fire in The Illustrated London News, 1875

The Dublin whiskey fire took place on 18 June 1875 in the Liberties area of Dublin.[1] It lasted a single night but killed 13 people (from alcohol poisoning), and resulted in €6 million worth of damage in whiskey alone (adjusted for inflation).[2] People drank from the 6 inches (15 cm) deep river of whiskey that is said to have flowed as far as the Coombe.[3] None of the fatalities suffered during the fire were due to smoke inhalation, burns, or any other form of direct contact with the fire itself; all of them were attributed to alcohol poisoning from drinking the undiluted whiskey running through the streets that had been stored in casks that exploded; this alcohol was much more potent than whiskey offered at retail in bottles.[4]

  1. ^ Hopkins, Frank (June 2008). Hidden Dublin: Deadbeats, Dossers, and Decent Skins. Mercier Press Ltd. p. 189. ISBN 9781856355919. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  2. ^ rareAdmin (4 May 2017). "The Great Whiskey Fire of Dublin, 1875". Rare Irish Stuff. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  3. ^ O'Brien, Joseph V. (1982). Dear, Dirty Dublin: A City In Distress. University of California Press. p. 34. ISBN 9780520039650. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  4. ^ Mock, Nancy. "The Shocking Story Behind The Great Whiskey Fire Of Dublin". Mashed.com. Mashed. Retrieved 10 November 2022.