THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1908. FIRES IN THEATRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13650, 18 January 1908, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1908. FIRES IN THEATRES.

Periodically, the civilised world is horrified by some great theatre fire, in which scores of human beings lose their lives under the most pitiful circumstances. Once more the periodical has happened, fire panic and actual fire having contributed, in England and in America, to swell the frightful list of great accidents which might easily have been averted and can never be forgotten. It is useless, of course, to comment upon the facts that particularise these terrible tragedies; but they have so much in common with all accidents of this class, and exhibit so many of the weaknesses common i to almost all theatres, that we can- | not fail to take the opportunity to | direct public opinion towards the necessity for move systematic precautions and more effective fire-pro-tection at all places of public gathering. It is true that every holocaust induces a temporary excitement which leads to passing energy in this direction and that the matter is soon lost sight of again in the stress and strain of modern city life. But it is possible that by repeatedly coming back to the. matter aDd by being recurrently impressed by the terrible results of lack of system, the civilised world may finally insist upon such precautions being taken as will insure, as far as human precautions can insure it, that when man, woman and child enter public, hall or theatre they will be able to come out again, safe and sound, even though actual fire should break out. It may be said that panics arise when there is no fire, but a moment's consideration will show that it is the sense of helplessness, which seizes upon an audience at the very suggestion of fire, that generates panic when there is no fire. If people knew that they could safely leave a theatre or a public hall even after a fire had broken ; out they would naturally meet such an occurrence in a more equable and inquisitive temper. They could not be carried away by panic as they are at present, for they would no longer have the terrifying conviction that they were like rats in a trap, that only at the expense of others could any hope to escape the threatening holocaust. Provisions for the swift emptying of a theatre or other public hall, with provision for the immediate shutting off of the stage from the auditorium, would in c selves largely remove the great source of danger—the getting out-of-hand of large numbers of people. As for the cutting off of the stage from the auditorium, no theatre, in the world can be considered sale

which cannot thus, foe cut off by » , - fire-proof drop screen, and in which the separation in not assured 'by: constant use. This should be. a municipal fire brigade matter and T not left to indefinite and irresponsible persons. Not only this, but' no building should be packed without some responsible official— r . or fire-brigade—being in charge of the multitude. Good citizens, even well-drilled school children, readily „ and instinctively range themselves with the authorities in emergency. A single capable man in uniform could thus control and handle"" a large crowd, for panic arises when there is nobody to take the lead and to receive the co-operation of the many who would most gladly sup- . port intelligently exercised authority. Under no conceivable circumstances should a large number of people be exposed to sudden danger without there being near them trained men, policemen or firemen, who know exactly what to do in an emergency and how to go about it. , J Finally, there should be abundance of exits from every theatre and public hall; and every exit should be opened every time the place is used. To have special fire-exits" is nonsensical and admittedly dangerous and useless. To lead these exits to ladders, to verandahs, to roofs, as is frequently done, is not what is wanted; in such danger the ten-, dency is to follow the known path and not to take the risks of' unknown and probably • dangerous tracks. Every theatre and public hall should therefore bo required to have easily followed exits sufficient to empty them—away from the stagein a very short space of time, and these exits should be opened and used as a usual thing. There are no other special provisions re - . quired when a theatre or public hall is built with ordinary care and intelligence. The shutting off of the stage, where fires almost invariably arise ; the constant presence of officials who would have the confidence of the audience; and the existence of abundant and constantly used exits; would do away with every - possibility of great theatre-tragedy, Being so simple, it is astonishing that these precautions are not uni- . versally in vogue; but it is prob- • ably because they are so simple thitV they are almost universally ignored. v