On the evening of August 3, 1920, at 10:30, two men hurrying home after working at the local Railway Y.M.C.A. discovered smoke and flames at the D. Arnold & Sons Lumber Company. Bradford firemen, aided by area firefighters, could not contain the raging fire because of the intense heat and lack of available water. By early morning, the town had been almost totally destroyed. Thirty-four businesses and twelve homes burned to the ground, with losses totaling over one million dollars. Many businesses never rebuilt and suffered huge losses because they lacked insurance coverage. The Ohio State Fire Marshal investigated and ruled that the fire was caused by arson, but authorities never apprehended or charged any suspects.