Fire Brigades That Let Your House Burn
In 18th century London, fire brigades were run by private insurance companies. If your burning house didn't display their specific 'fire mark' plaque, they would literally watch it burn to the ground.
Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, the concept of property fire insurance was born. However, there was no municipal public fire service. Instead, the newly formed insurance companies created their own private fire brigades to protect the properties they insured.
The Fire Mark System
When you bought an insurance policy, the company would nail a heavy lead plaque—a 'fire mark'—high up on the front wall of your house, displaying their logo (such as a sun or a phoenix). If a fire broke out, multiple private fire brigades would race to the scene.
Upon arriving, the firemen would look at the burning building. If the fire mark on the wall matched their company, they would spring into action to put out the blaze. If the plaque belonged to a rival company, or if the house had no plaque at all, they would simply stand back, watch it burn, and sometimes even drink beer while they waited for the rival brigade to arrive. This chaotic, profit-driven system lasted until the mid-19th century when a unified public fire service was finally established.