TERRIBLE THEATRE FIRE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 September 1928, Page 8

TERRIBLE THEATRE FIRE.

FIVE HUNDRED DEAD, HARROWING SCENES AMONG PEOPLE OUT OFF FROM EXITS. MADRID, Sept. 23. t Many persons were burned to death in a fire which broke out during a performance in the Novedates Theatre, i* one of the most populous quarters ■ in the city. The auditorium, which holds several hundreds, was packed. The fire started on the stage and as the curtain was raised, it burst through over the stalls. Immediately in a panic, the audience rushed'the exits. As the , exits were old, they could not deal with the crowd and the place was quickly gutted, likewise the whole street block. On hearing of the affair, which was of the nature of a catastrophe, the Prem- . 'ier and municipal authorities visited the blazing street. All Madrid's firstaid stations were filled with injured and every available motor car was requisitioned. KNIVES USED AGAINST HUMAN WALL. MADDENED 'VICTIMS RUSH INTO FLAMES. LONDON, Sept. 24. The “Daily Express" Madrid correspondent states that the Novedates Theatre, seated 3000. It was built of wood, being the largest fcjnd oldest theatre in Madrid. The fire broke out at the end-of the second act of a topical comedy. An immediate panic followed, and the doors were quickly jammed with dead bodies. At least 1000 people, chiefly in the six tiers of the cheap balcony seats, were completely cut off from safety. Maddened men tried to hack a way through the living wall of bodies with knives and other weapons; then a terrific explosion behind the stage added to the panic. The orchestra bravely kept on playing until another explosion killed several musicians, then they were forced to fly. Meanwhile, the. vast, crowd outside watched the catastrophe helplessly. Despite the snapping and crackling of the flames, interspersed with the explosions, the screams of the burning victims could be heard. Spectators, police and firemen worked with frantic zeal to clear the doors, dragging the crushed bodies into the street, but the panicstricken people within trampled down new victims as fast as they could bo extricated. Within the theatre* the flames shot over the consuming seats and fittings, and finally reaching the balconies. Some of the victims, mad with terror, rushed into the flames; .others flung themselves into the blazing pit. General de Rivera reached the teatre a few minutes after the outbreak and took complete charge of the situation. A detachment of Engineers from the garrison tried to cut holes in the walls of the building with axes and thus allow the imprisoned people to escape,--but this wag. only partially successful. The theatre was burning fiercely at midnight. RESCUE WORK LIGHTED BY FLARES. MADRID, Sept. 24. The firemen had great difficulty in coping with the outbreak, which spread to the old houses around the theatre. The latter was packed to the doors with a typical Sunday audience. Firemen are working desperately to recover the bodies. Eleven were found in a heap in one corridor. The latest estimate is that 500 are dead. There were weird scenes as the flames of the burning theatre died down. Gas ( and electric street .lamps were rendered useless by the destruction of the mains, and the firemen and engineers worked with the aid of huge aim}’ flcirGjS« While the flames were at their height, some were, seen with their clothes ablaze, strugling to escape. A frantic man, badly injured, was rushing about asking the whereabouts of his wife and children with whom lie had been celebrating his birthday. On one landing 25 huddled bodies- were visible. The theatre was burned out just before dawn, after which the firemen concentrated on the residential conflagration. Forty-five bodies _ had been recovered by dawn, and 350 are injured.