The Great Fire of 1846 occurred in St. John's, Newfoundland, a colony of the United Kingdom on 9 June 1846.
The fire spread along Water and Duckworth Streets destroying all of the buildings in its path aided by the large quantities of seal oil that were stored in the merchants' premises.
The fire was also aided by an attempt to blow up a house on Water Street which scattered burning embers across the city.
The artilleryman died as a result of the demolition of the house on Water Street.
Included in the destroyed buildings was the Anglican Church (likely the cornerstone laid by Bishop Aubrey Spencer in 1843), the largest private home in the city (belonging to Robert Prowse) and all but one mercantile warehouse in the Riverhead area.