The present painting is a study for the larger painting “Det brænder” (There's a fire) from 1900 (with the measurements 90×120 cm), which was exhibited at Charlottenborg in 1901 as no. 126. The final painting shows a larger section of Kultorvet in Copenhagen filled with firefighters and spectators and smoke coming from a building on the left. In the present painting, Fischer has focused on the firemen's work with the steam fire engine, where they shovel coal into the fire so that pressure can be created for the water jets to extinguish the fire. Today, the old steam fire engine is part of the collection at the Danish Museum of Science & Technology in Helsingør.

An exhibtion label on the stretcher.

Illustrated: Steffen Linvald, “Paul Fischer - Københavnernes maler”, 1984, p. 128. Helge Carlsen, “Billedmageren Paul Fischer”, 1991, p. 55.

Provenance: Bruun Rasmussen auction 488, 1986 no. 172, ill. p. 73.