Theatre Fire Of 1903 Claimed 600 Lives

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31659, 20 April 1968, Page 5

Theatre Fire Of 1903 Claimed 600 Lives

(Specially written for “The Press” by MARY CARR) While studying theatre seating plans during the Pan Pacific Arts Festival in Christchurch I was reminded of my mother who lived in Chicago and who would never go upstairs in a theatre aftei the Iroquois Theatre fire in that citv on December 30, 1903. Today we have fireproof building materials and other precautions but they are based on the experiences of the past, such as this disaster. On December 30, 1903, 600 people lost their lives while attending a holiday matinee. During a “Dance in the Moonlight” number, sparks ignited the scenic curtain, a draught swung it out over the audience and in the ensuing panic most of the victims were trampled to death.

There were no well-marked exits, the theatre was high and narow, and the doors became jammed as they seem to have opened inward only. As the news spread and relatives came pouring in to identify victims another crisis took place. There were not enough morgues, and a man who had the restaurant next door the theatre opened his doors and let the authorities use the tables of his long narrow cafe for identifying the victims. For three days the city was in mourning, bells were constantly tolling and long funeral processions, singing hymns, were to be seen all over town. Places of business closed, holiday festivities were suspended and, on one day, all public schools were closed to honour the memory of the 34 school teachers who perished in this disaster, j At the inquest, evidence i showed that draught from I doors opened behind the (stage blew down the fan screen, heat from the flood- ■ lights ignited its flimsy

borders and the scenery and 75,000 feet of oiled Manila rope, used in suspending 180 drop scenes, caught fire. The asbestos curtain had not been arranged to drop quickly. It hung on an endless rope and was lowered with great difficulty. Warrants were issued for the arrest of proprietors and the Building Commissioner on charges of manslaughter. The Mayor declared that asbestos curtains were inadequate and by city order steel roller curtains were installed and wide, well-lighted exits with stairways leading to the streets were also made compulsory for theatres. Combustible lights were prohibited, smoke escape vents, strategi-cally-placed, were ordered and gas jets had to be piotected with wire netting. The repercussions of the Iroquois Theatre fire were felt around the world as indicated by the fact that the Kaiser ordered the Opera House in Berlin closed for complete inspection.