It was designed by a Spanish army officer, who also happened to be a professional architect.
An elegant central two-sided stairway with elaborated cast iron railing leads to a mezzanine area used as administrative offices.
The firefighters fought the fire for several days before it could be extinguished.
At that time, Puerto Rico didnt have a permanent firefighting force.
Its firefighters were drawn from citizens volunteering for the service.
Three years earlier a large fire had occurred in Ponce that almost destroyed the town.
Firefighters at this time had to provide their own fire-fighting tools such as picks, shovels, and buckets.
Unfortunately, once Governor De La Torre left his post, the fire corps was also abandoned.
