At one o'clock in the morning of 2 April 1888 the Princes Street Turkish Baths caught fire and in spite of the Fire Brigade's valiant efforts with three separate sources of water, the fire was not extinguished for several hours. By this time a large part of the premises were destroyed. The then lessee, Thomas Fleming, had not insured his share as tenant and, after the proprietor of the building had rebuilt the damaged section, the baths were reconstructed and refitted by their new lessee, Alexander Hardie, who reopened the baths on 11 December 1888.