ALARM OF FIRE IN THE THEATRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 39

ALARM OF FIRE IN THE THEATRE.

A sensatioa which was not provided for in the programme made the entertainment at the Princess Theatre on Saturday night a memorable one for all who were present. This wa3 noue other than an outbreak of fire at tho back of the dress chcle, where the lantern was placed with which Mr Carl Hertz manipulates hi 3 exhibition of the cinematographe. Immediately after the interval that followed on ths first part there were given a couple of ballads, and while thesi were being sung the preparations for the display of tbe scenes by the cinematographe were being completed, and Ib.e first indication that anyone in the crowded auditorium had of anything being wrong was a sudden, blaze of light in (he space between the dress circle entrance and the barrier at the back of the seats. This was followed by the blazing of a baize screen, which, enclosing the lantern, had been placed in tte middle dcorway immediately opposite the stage. The tight of the tire naturally caused a good deal of commotion, but the occupants o? the dress circle admirably preserved their presence of mind and maintained their placep. Some few rofe in their seats, b it tbey were promptly reassured, not t.nly by the fac; tbab Mr Hertz and his assistants repeatedly cried out that there was no danger, but also by tho praiseworthy example of the great bnlk of tbo n <li r cc, who firmly kept ! h-ar places. The diugci >j.& that in the stalls aud pit-, the occupants of which were not iv a position to know the actual sbate of matters, but were only aware that something I was burning at the back of the dress circle, & panic might, occur, in which event a dreadful '. disaster would probably have occurred. There wa3 a good deal of screaming by womcD, a large number of people rose to their feet, and several

persons made a rush for tbe sc»ge ; but Mr Hertz himself, ruunfng to the front of the circle, assured those downstairs that there was no duuger, and members of tho audieuce repeated his assurauca aud advised that all should keep their seats. This had the desired effect, and a minute or so later, when, the fire having been extinguished, Mr Hertz reappeared od the stage, he was greeted with a loud clapping of hands. He expressed hie regret for what had happened, especially as it had rendered it impossible for him to exhibit the cinematographe that night, and informed the audience that all the danger was over. While the fire was still burning, which was only a matter of a few minutes, the orchestra, it ehould be~ mentioned, struck up a lively selection, and this fact doubtless assisted to allay the fears of the timid. The management are to be congratulated upon the steps they took to prevent a p*nic, and, at the same time, the audience may fairly be congratulated upon their admirable behaviour. The official explanation of the fire is that it commeuced near the dress circle entrance. These who are in the habit of attending in that part of the house know that inside the door there has been for as long as one can trust one'ii memory an upholstered couch, which had become very much the worse for wear. Alongside this the saturator to be vied in connection with the lantern for the exhibition of the views had bean gob ready, and it is supposed that it was leaking and that & trail of other had been left along tbe carpeb to the screen euolosing the lantern. It is surmised that someone ooming into the circle after the interval mast have dropped a light — a cigaretto end or a match— on the floor and that the ether catching the flame communicated it to the tow that was hanging out of the conch, which immediately became enveloped in flames and then conducted the fire to the screen, colour being given to this view by the fact that the carpet itself is not burnt. The blazing couch was, under Mr Hertz's instruotione, carried out into High street, and the fire at the screen was beaten out by two or three willing hands, including Mr Donaldson (assistant inspector of nuisances), but; not before a series of eight pictures on a celluloid film, ready for exhibition and representing a value of £200, had been destroyed. Mr Hertz points to the fact of this being the first time that any mishap has ocourred to show thnt there is no danger in connection with the apparatus used, and as every precaution will be taken in future those who patronise the entertainment need be under no apprehension of such an incident occurring again.