49. Charleston Sofa Super Store, USA
Built: 1950s
Collapsed: 2007
Est. Damages: $7.4 million rebuild cost*
The Charleston Sofa Super Store fire was the deadliest firefighter-involved disaster in America since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Nine people were killed, and eighteen others suffered non-fatal injuries. The building was completely lost, and a neighboring structure’s house suffered melted siding from the intense heat of the blaze.
Charleston Sofa Super Store, USA @etodaymag / Pinterest.com
The fire began in the loading dock area when discarded furniture went up in flames. Though the ignition source is still undetermined, local media has reported that a discarded cigarette was the likely culprit. Cigarette fires cause around 100,000 U.S. fires per year, and they are responsible for nearly one-third of U.S. fire deaths.