Engineers Inspect Fire Damage

This photograph, taken in January 1930, shows engineers inspecting for fire damage on the roof of the White House. On the evening of December 24, 1929, the West Wing caught fire, requiring the efforts of 130 firefighters to extinguish the powerful, four-alarm blaze. The fire started when pamphlets in the attic ignited, likely caused by a blocked or faulty chimney vent or defective electric wiring. Following repairs, President Herbert Hoover and his aides returned to the West Wing on April 14, 1930.