EDINBURCH MUSIC HALL FIRE.

Grey River Argus, 13 May 1911, Page 1

EDINBURCH MUSIC HALL FIRE.

FAMOUS ILLUSIONIST PERISHES (By Electric Telegraph — Copvrifcrtt.) LONDON, May 10. • • The eighth body has been found and the search is .ibeing continued. La Fayette was. a well-known American illusionist. His body was found beside the charred remains of his favourte horse, which he was'apparentlyendeavouring to rescue. When the stage, was ablaze a lion went mad and blocked the exit. The stage hands staite that La Fayette was killed while making an attempt to remove the lion. It is now 'known that nine have been killed in the' Edinburgh music hall fire. It is feared that there are more fatalities! A SHOWER OF SPARKS. The fire arose through a paper lantern falling from the wings into the scenery during an elaborate illusion called c 'The Lion's bride" ending in a harem scene. This caused a shower of sparks. The whole scene was instantly ablaze. The audieice at first ibelieved that it was part of La Faeytte's design of Ibomibs Ifireworks, hence 'there was little panic. . ; The manager ran before the curtain and asked the orchestra to^play the national anthem, the leader conducting it from the stage. Be was afterwards killed. The theatre was emptied in four minutes. ■ v • EXIT BLOCKED BY A LION. Actors and stage hands meanwhile fought the flames 'but were impeded 'by a maddened lion and other ammals, until ithe whole place was like a furnace, when the safety curtain fell inwards, demolishing the^ stage. Hundreds of territorials ibeing on alarm-parade assisted the police. The firemen prevented the fire spreading- to the thickly populated ■tenements around tKe theatre. La Fayette' was seen outside the stage door, ibut returned to save the animals. ' The dead include a seventeen year old girl and a little boy playing the part of Teddy ' ©ear. They were found enclosed . in a scorched ibearskin. La Fayette's Company numbered 60, many of whom ran 1 into the streets in their stage dress. A negro was found wandering about terror stricken. Strenuous efforts will be made to rebuild the theatre in time for the Command performance. Tl>e«King and Queen condoled with ( ■the families .of the Edinburgh ifire victime and those injured; ,o% ,