Today in US history: February 10, 1863 - First fire extinguisher is patented by Alanson Crane of Virginia

Fire safety once meant little more than buckets of water and quick thinking. For centuries, homes and buildings depended on open flames for cooking, heating, and light, while building rules were minimal and fires spread easily. By the late 1700s, however, new ideas began to change how people fought fires, with early systems using chemical reactions, such as saltwater or carbon-based liquids, to smother flames rather than simply dousing them with water.

On this day, February 10, 1863, an inventor named Alanson Crane of Virginia received the first US patent for a fire extinguisher. His invention improved on earlier glass “fire grenades” that had to be thrown into a blaze. Instead, Crane designed a system of water-filled pipes installed inside a building’s walls and ceilings. A valve located outside allowed water to be released quickly during a fire, helping control flames before they spread.

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According to the Hagley Museum, Crane’s invention (U.S. Patent No. 37,610) marked a major step toward modern fire suppression systems. While little is known about Crane’s life, his idea reflected a growing understanding that fires could be stopped by cutting off oxygen. Many early extinguishers used chemical mixtures that produced carbon dioxide foam, similar to the reaction between baking soda and vinegar. Crane’s work helped lay the foundation for the fire safety systems used today.

About Alanson Crane

Alanson Crane was an inventor from Fortress Monroe, Elizabeth City County, Virginia. He received the first U.S. patent for a fire extinguisher on February 10, 1863 (U.S. Patent No. 37,610). No records detail his birth, death, occupation, or family; historical accounts describe him as obscure, with focus solely on his invention.