Early Omaha: Gateway to the West
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Fire was an additional hazard from the tornado. Most homes were heated with woodstoves, fireplaces or coal fueled boilers. After the storm struck, these were blown over and the flames spread rapidly.

This image from 26th & Patrick Avenue in northeast Omaha illustrates the danger. Fire was breaking out along the corridor of destruction. Entire police and fire departments from Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa, were called to the scene. They fought the fires along Franklin and Decatur streets 3 blocks south of Patrick Avenue for nearly an hour. Firemen carried hoses because trucks could not reach the flames. Heavy rain fell after 8 p.m. and by 9 p.m. the houses were smoldering ruins.