PRESENCE OF MIND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19761, 12 April 1926, Page 10

PRESENCE OF MIND

THEATRE PANIC AVERTED. FIRE BENEATH THE STAGE. LONDON. March 27. With a fire raging beneath the stage, owing to the fusing of electric wires, at the lamp ire Theatre, New Cross, London, the manager’s presence of mind, and the orchestra’s playing of lively airs, averted a catastrophe. The 1600 spectators, including many children, and also a circus tioupes elephant, ponies, dogs, and sea lions, escaped in the darkness, unhurt and without panic. The manager rang down the fire curtain and told the audience that there had been a failure of the lights, which prevented a continuance of the show, and promised to admit them to a later performance. •" The audience first knew that a fire had broken out when they saw the engines arrivingMeanwhile, the elephant, named “Old Nick,” stolidly continued his “turn,” stepping over seven ponies lying on the dai kened stage, and finally led them into .the street.