PICTURE SHOW FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17112, 18 March 1919, Page 6

PICTURE SHOW FIRE.

OUTBREAK AT WAIHI. j AUDIENCE LEAVES QUIETLY. | [by TELEGRAPH.—mESS ASSOCIATION.] 1 WAIHI, Monday. ?: WAIHJ, Monday, An outbreak of fire occurred at the 1 Academy Theatre last Saturday night dur- § ing the progress of a picture show. Tlie 1 fire was first noticed by S iperintendent 1 Steel, of the fire brigade, who, on enter- 1 ing the engine-room, situated under tie 1 .back portion of the etage found tha 1? place burning like a furnace. He 5?: immediately ran to the back of the stage 1 and turned the water on, with a view I to preventing the fire from breaking I through. Having accomplished this he 1 went to the front and asked the audience, I which was a very large one, to leave the 1 theatre quietly. The audience, not realis- r ing the full extent of their danger, filed jj out, and no panic occurred. | Shortly after this smoke broke through •' the stage into the theatre. Superintendent I Steel, in the meantime, ran for the fire 1 engine, and shortly two leads of hose | were in action, the fire being quickly sub- § dued. The engine-room and its vicinity I were well gutted, both the gas engine anil 1 the dynamo were damaged, and the - | switch boards and belts burnt. The total I estimated damage is £200. ? The outbreak originated from an ex- | haust pipe becoming over-heated, and set- | ting fire to the flooring, no person being ij in tlw engine-room at the time. The j! flames burst through a 6mall window in ' the engine-room', ran up the wall, and set ' fire to an out-building in the yard of the i Golden Cross Hotel, next door. Promot, 1 action by Superintendent Steel and bis is presence of mind undoubtedly saved a serious conflagration and loss of life. An outbreak of fire occurred at the same place about a month ago. The engines, etc:, are covered by insurance, and the 1 ? building is insured for £3800 in the Nor- j j them Union Office. During the fire the firemen experienced ! great difficulty in attacking the outbreak ■ j owing to an extensive escape of gas in the | engine-room. Superintendent Steel became . J somewhat severely affected, and several i firemen also suffered. ;