A few minutes before 10 p.m. on January 15, 1895, a signal came into the Butte fire department from call box 72 indicating a fire near Utah and Iron Streets. Firefighters rushed to the scene in horse-pulled carts and began fighting the fire in the Kenyon-Connell Warehouse. Shortly afterward there was a small explosion in the warehouse. The men drew back, but after nothing significant occurred they resumed their positions, not knowing that tons of dynamite were illegally stored in the warehouse. The warehouse then exploded with such force that it blew shrapnel miles away, broke out windows throughout the city, and killed all those at the site. Civilians were awakened from their slumber and came running to help. The fire jumped to the Butte Hardware Company warehouse, which also held massive amounts of dynamite. It exploded in short order. Ultimately, 58 lives were lost in the Great Explosion of 1895.