CASTRIES HAS BEEN
RAVAGED BY FIRE
NUMEROUS TIMES
1796 — the fire is believed to have been
set deliberately during a military
engagement between the English and the
French. All official and private
documents and records were destroyed.
1813 — most of the town was destroyed,
and what was left was finished off by a
cyclone in 1817.
1916 — the Castries Fire Bridge Station
went up in flames.
1927 — 17 blocks were devastated.
Practically all the business section of the
town was burnt out. From the Post Office
to the Magistrate’s Court-house, and
numerous homes. In spite of the efforts
made to stop it, the fire was only stopped
by the sea.
27
1948 — four fifths of the city was
completely destroyed — although there
was no loss of life, 809 families lost their
homes and 2,293 persons were rendered
homeless. The fire is believed to have
started in a tailor's shop.
1951 — a large number of houses on the
Eastern side of the Chaussee known as
Fonds Le Grand were destroyed.
1959 — St. Joseph’s Convent, the Convent
School and Chapel as well as four or five
houses went up in flames.
1960 — the largest department store in
Castries — Messrs. Minvielle & Chastanet
Ltd. — was partially destroyed.
http://www.cityofcastries.org/index.php/our-history