1915 Vancouver bridge arson attack facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 1915 Vancouver bridge arson attack
Part of World War One
A section of the bridge collapsed into False Creek after the fire
Location	Granville Street Bridge, Connaught Bridge
Date	April 29 1915 4:29 for Connaught Bridge (PST)
Attack type	Sabotage, state-sponsored terrorism
Deaths	0
Non-fatal injuries	0
Perpetrators	Imperial German agents
Motive	sabotage

The Vancouver bridge arson attack happened on April 29, 1915. During this event, two important bridges in Vancouver, Canada, were set on fire. These bridges were the Granville Street Bridge and the Connaught Bridge. This act of sabotage took place during World War I.

The Bridges of Vancouver

The Connaught Bridge was finished in 1911. It cost about $740,000 to build. The bridge opened for traffic on May 24, 1911.

In 1912, a special ceremony took place. Canada's Governor General, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, visited Vancouver. He was joined by his wife, the Duchess, and their daughter, Princess Patricia of Connaught. On September 20, 1912, they officially renamed the new bridge the "Connaught Bridge."

However, most people kept calling it the "Cambie Street Bridge." This was because Cambie Street runs across it. The street was named after an early Vancouver resident, Henry John Cambie.

The Fires Begin

The fires happened on April 29, 1915. News reports in America said that German immigrants started the fires. They were supposedly celebrating a German victory over Canadian soldiers in Belgium.

The fire on the Connaught Bridge caused a large section to collapse. About 24.4 meters (80 feet) of the bridge fell down. The damage from the fires cost around $90,000 to fix.

Who Was Responsible?

After the fires, four German men were arrested. They were Baron von Luttowitz, Dr. Otto Grumert, Paul Koop, and Frederich Spritzel. These men were held by the government because of the war. They were believed to be agents working for Imperial Germany.