FIRE RISKS IN THEATRES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1666, 3 February 1904, Page 63

FIRE RISKS IN THEATRES.

THE REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT HUGO.

The By-laws, Fire Brigade and Lightning Cbmmitte© reported, at last Tluirs'flav night’s meeting of the City Cbuncili' ivi-th reference to the Opera House and .'Theatre Royal:—I 'u The committee have to report thalt they •. have received -a report from tli© Superin".tend’ent of* th© Fire Biriflage; with * regard : to:-the fire risk at the Opera House and the Theatre Royal.- The matter being urgent, the committee , held, a special meeting to consider some. The Mayor reported that he had- authorised letters' to be prepared to be sent to tlie Opera House Company, notifying them of the alterations considered necessary,, and stating that the. license, which expires in. June-next, will not be re-issued, unless the alterations required- have been carried out; and to Mr D'ix, of the Theatre Royal, notifying him that in consequence of the nature of at report received from the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade it is extromely unlikely that the , committee will-be enabled recomanendi the Council to itteue a license', and drawing attention to the fact that this theatre is now unlicensed such license having expired, on the 26th December, and* that he must discontinue the us© thereof. committee endorsed the action of the Mayor. The Opera House: Company have replied'; ; making alternative suggestion®.. The;

committee, however, recommend that the prposals of tho. Superintendent as already conveyed to the directors of the Opera House Company, be adhered to, and that a reply be sent accordingly. With regard l to the. Theatre Royal no. further action Ilia® been taken, inasmuch as the mat,tax; iW flit .present before the Courts. A further 'irepol't ha® been received from this Siuperiiifehiient ( with regard to His Majesty’>3' Theatre, The committee recommend. that these reports', and the action already taken thereon, be adopted. This import was agreed to. THE SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT.

The following is Superintendent Hugo-a report relating to the theatres of this city:

OPERA HOUSE.

From a fire print of view .this theatre is a very fair fire risk, but the provision© fqr ’escape of an audience in ease of fire or panic are totally inadequate. Til© Family Circle.—‘Seating capacity of 446 and say 80 people standing. One doorway only 7ft lOlin wide, which opens on to two svaircas'e© 6ft wide.

Dress Circle.—Seating capacity 232, say 50 standing. One dporway sft wide. Passage leadiq into foyer, and from there by folding doors on to both stairs from family circle. One half' of folding...door on each side opening back on to these stair®.

Stalls.—Seating capacity 489, Say 21 standing. On west .side one door 4ft sin wide. On east side one door 3ft wide Both these doors opening on to the sarnie passage to the street a® the stairs- leading from the family and diesis circles. Pit. —Beating oapac.lcy 300; Standing, say 40. One door 6ft Gin wide in centre leading directly to street. _ On© door 2ft 10in wide east side leading into same passage as stalls, etc. . This is an exit capacity 30ft 6in from the auditorium for 1668 people. But what, makes this very much worse is that the family circle 52|6 people, dress circle 282 people, stalls 52-0 people and say only 80 people from the pit—a, total of 1408 people—all converge on two passages leading to Manners street, each passage only having a clear way of 6ft 6in each* I here beg to make a number of suggestions ter the safety of tlie public in general. Fnoan. the family circle a doorway should be made in the eastern, wall, with a, staircase to>the. ground 6ft in v/idth. A similar door and staircase from the dress circle. Should this not be practicable from the dress; circle, an alternate, though not a® good a, plan would be a staircase from the foyer direct to the street. Stalls.—The present doorway and passage on the ©asteen side of the stall® should be increased to sft in width. Pit.—A passage down the centre and one on each side 2?t 6in wide, seat® to be provided with backs. No loose chairs or forms to be allowed in any part of the auditorium. Comers of the"present staircase® to be roxxnded off. All doors to be fitted so that they swing clear of the staircase®. External fire escapes to be. provided from rear of-dree-s----ingrooxno.. A,IL exits and doors for use by the public must be clearly indicated by words printed in letters not less than, six 1 inches in length, such doors to be unfastened during performance, and open during intervals and at conclusion of per-** forma-nee.- All doors in proscenium wall to be fire-proof and se-if-cloGing. Curtains to be fire-proofed. All gas pipes to be of brass or iron, gas brackets to nave sufficent wire guards, i. omaliawks to be kept in flies, rugs to be kept in. wings, firemen in uniform to be on duty during all performances, all combustible and extra stage light effects to be under the control of the firemen. Before tlie doors are opened, for any performance, the firemen to inspect all parts of the theatre, see that everything is in order and report accordingly to person in charge of the theatre; doors not to be opened until such report is made. Fire alarm diroct to fire station. Smoking and striking matches on or about the stage and auditorium to be strictly prohibited. Notices to this effect to be posted. All fire appliances, etc., to be tested ever}.- six mantas.- .. I would further suggest rnat it be made a misdemeanour ou tlie part of the person doing so, ter any person to sit on- any passage or on* any staircase in the auditorium of any theatre fluring the performance. THEATRE ROYAL. The fire risk of this building as a theatre is so bad that nothing short of re-building can render it safe, the exits Erovided for the audience in the case of re or panic are reasonably fair. Dress Circle. Seating capacity 164, standing .60. Doorway. 4ft Vm leading to vestibule. Escape door aft wide, staircase to passage around side and back of theatre to Johnston street.. StaJ Is.—Seating capacity 547, standing. 30. Two dioors to vestibule, 4i’t 9in anfl_7ft sin respectively. One escape door 4ffc 9in wide into passage on nortn side. There are- four doors leaning from vestibule, to Jolmston street, each 4ft sin wide.

Pit.—Seating capacity 150, standing 60. Doorway sft wide, leading on to staircase on right-of-way off Jonnston street. An exit capacity 'of 30ft 6in frflm the a-uditoriuin for 1011’ people. ’ For the safety of; tne public, and in some measure to> reduce the danger of fire, I beg to make the-following suggestions : All seats to be,firmly fixed to the floor in stalls andbpit. ' Backs to be ,put on seats in pit. 2ft 6in wide to be provided in staiis; one in half centre and'one on norm side of stalls. W icket between orchesti*a stalls and staiis on north side to be removed. Yentilating apparatus in gangways to be so covered that the public are not liable to be tripped, by them. Hydrant and hose to be fixed in stalls; same in oress circle to be put in order. Passage round * side and rear of theatre to be kept clear of all encumbrances, except gas tanks. All exits and doors for use by the publie must be clearly indicated by words printed in letters not le®3 tnan 6m in length. Doors to be unfastened during performance, open during interval and at conclusion of performance. All gas. to be removed from that portion of the theatre comprising the stage, flies, uressingreoms, etc., with the exception of three or Honr. gas jets in- case, of* failure of the o/ebtrie lilglrt, which, should; be installed in lieu ofi .the/ga®. All gas jeto to., aav© efficient wire guards. No combustible stage effects

to be allowed. Opening over proscenium kafl: to roof to be boarded up. This will necessitate more ventilator© or louvres in the stage roof. . Three gallon chemicals to be placed in each dressingroom and. ope on o.p. side. Doors in’/; pfoscenium’ Wall to be made self-olosihg. Tomahawks to be kept in flies, rugs, to be kept in,;wings, cm*tam to be fire-proofed, firemen in Uniterm to be on duty during all performances, all extra stage light effects to be under control of firemen. Before the doors are opened for any performance the firemen should inspect flitparts of the theatre, see tnat everything is in order and report accordingly to the* perron in charge of the theatre., aoors not to be opened unit! such report is made. Fire alarm direct to fire station. Smoking or striking matches on or about, the stage or auditoiium xo be strictly proi bited. Notices to that effect to be posted. All fire appliances to be tested' every six months. HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

I would recommend that the amended plans of the alterations referring tp; the, exits, passages, and aisles be These provide gallery, estimated seating, capacity 370' two staircases at north end each sft .wide, leading to front, doorway, 6ft . wide, one escape staii’case oh each side leading into right-of-way, on west side leading into corridor, all passages 3ft wide. Stalls, seating* capacity 378, 3 aisles 3ft wide leading to. at south end irregular but wide passage to door on each side 4ft Gin wide, at north end from aisles 4ft 6in, passage to door of same width on each side thence into right-of way. Pit, seating capacity 186*. three 3ft aisles leading to doors, and (a passage 4ft wide, door on each side into right-of-way sft wide, two escape doors are provided at rear of stage. Totalexit capacity of 39ft Gin for an estimated audience of TIOO. I beg to make the further following suggestions: — »- All seats to be firmly fixed to the floor and to be provided with backs. No loose seats of any description ,to be allowed in auditorium. A service of gas to be installed sufficient to light the auditorium and stage should any accident happen, ta the electric light. Curtain to be fireproof. There are various ways, of providing for this, and a good one, in pay, opinion, is that of the water curtain. This consists of a perforated pipe carried completely around the proscenium opening immediately behind the curtain’ proper. This pipe should: be of brass to g revent corrosion. Hydrant and hose to 0 placed in gallery. Two three-gallon chemicals to be placed on stage. Rugs to be kept on stage. No lime or calcium tanks Ho be allowed in the building. No combustible light effects to be allowed. All extra stage light effects to be under the control of the firemen. Smoking or striking matches on or about the stageor auditorium to be prohibited. Notices to that effect to be posted. ' All exits and doors for use of the public to’ be clearly indicated by words printed in letters Gin in length, such doors to be unfastened during performance and open at the conclusion of same. A fireman to be on duty during performances. All fire appliances to be tested every Six months.

DISCUSSION BY THE COUNCIL.

. Councillor Izard read a letter front Superintendent Hugo abating that to'-RPo«-yitiie a second exit from the family cirolo at the O’pera House, he could see nix alternative but the proposed staircase on one side or, the atheatj hut. he suggested; thsd the architect might recommend some other cours’?. Councillor Nathan wished' to know whether the previous reports of the iiire Inspector were available. It ivas singular, he remarked, that a place should be licensed continuously, and that when a hue occurred in some other part of the world the license should be refused. It was not generally understood, hi© ■added, that iha ground landlord of the Theatre Epyal waer 'the dty Council itself.

Councillor Izard said that certain alterations were effected when Mr D'ix took. Over the Theatre Royal, and there wa® then, some hesitation a® to whether the, place should have a license. The Superintendent had always x-epor ied that there should ba a fire curtain there.

CriunciltSor Luke suggested that Mr Hugo should ba asked to draw up a report as to the churches. Councillor Izard replied that that was being dome. ■ ,

Councillor Luke assured the Council' that he had absolutely refused to go to evening service in some churches because of the risk in this matter. (Laughter.) Councillor Winder hoped that the authorities would not Ibsa their heads inf this matter. Let them, do thet: best they, could for the safety of the public, but let them not bd* too severe.

Councillor Devine thought it was extraordinary that buildings which held bee®, licensed year after year should now be discovered to be in this condition. 1

The Mayor repudiated, any. suggestion’ that Superintendent Lugo was likely to lose his head. That officer was the coolest and moalt self-possessed man in this city and one of the "most capable men for his position. i - i The report of the committee wa® : then* adopted; ' , TIIE THEATEB EOYAL. Later on, the Council, in comma ties, resolved definitely to'refuse the license for the Theatre Eoyal.