reduce something to ashes , auch: reduce something to ruins

If they had to die, he could reduce them to ashes with a thought.

In 1702, a fire reduced half the buildings to ashes.

They were then reduced to ashes by the fires which followed.

In 1618, a fire nearly reduced much of the city to ashes.

Because it did not, after all, reduce me to dust and ashes.

"They could reduce us to ashes in a minute," he added.

Daniel would be reduced to ashes within the next few hours.

They too were sleeping, their fire also reduced to ashes.

We don't intend to reduce our own city to ashes.

By that time, the homes were completely reduced to ashes.