Great Fire of London

Date: September 2–6, 1666
Location: City of London, England
Appears In: Book 2
Jump Type: Historical Jump

What Happened

A fire broke out in a bakery on Pudding Lane in the early hours of September 2, 1666, and quickly spread through London's densely packed, timber-framed buildings. Fanned by strong winds and fed by a summer-long drought, the blaze burned for four days, destroying roughly 13,000 houses, dozens of churches, and most of the medieval City of London, including old St. Paul's Cathedral. Remarkably, official records list only a handful of confirmed deaths, though historians believe the true toll—especially among the poor, whose deaths went unrecorded—was almost certainly higher.

Historical Context

The fire permanently reshaped London, leading to new building codes requiring brick and stone construction and wider streets, and giving Christopher Wren the opportunity to rebuild St. Paul's Cathedral and dozens of parish churches in his now-iconic style. It remains one of the most significant urban disasters in English history.

Timeline of the Event

Sept. 2, ~1:00 AM — A fire starts in Thomas Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane.
Strong east winds and closely packed timber buildings allow the fire to spread rapidly.
City officials initially hesitate to demolish buildings to create firebreaks, delaying containment.
The fire consumes most of the walled City of London over four days, including St. Paul's Cathedral.
The fire is finally halted on September 6, having destroyed roughly 13,000 houses and 87 churches.

The Five Seconds Connection

In Five Seconds Too Late, the trio lands in the narrow streets near Pudding Lane just as the fire begins to spread, forced to navigate collapsing buildings and panicked crowds with no way to warn the city of what's coming. Oliver later channels the experience into one of his earliest Oliver Keene novellas, The City That Burned.