PANTOMIME FIRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8249, 23 February 1905, Page 2

PANTOMIME FIRE.

STA6E AND SCENERY DESTROYED. Sinbad the Sailor, his chorus of pretty girls and " supers," paraded the stage, sang their songs and cracked their jokes throughout Saturday, December pi s at the Crouch End Opera House, London. It was the final dress rehearsal before opening the pantomime. By 9.30 on Christmas Eve even the stage manager was satisfied that everything was ready for a successful performance on Monday afternoon following. The chorus girls trooped off the stage, tired, but cheerful, to change their flimsy garments for costumes more suitable in foggy London. The members of the orchestra packed, up their musical instruments, and the theatre fireman was left alone on SinI bad's island. The girls were chattering together in thoir rooms, and the gas had been turned out in the auditorium, when the cry of "Fire" was raised. Out they dashed down the passages behind the private boxes, just as they were, into the street. Sufficient time had elapsed for them to change their "Sinbad" clothes, but many left their hats and jackets behind them in the excitement. The iron door leading to the dressingrooms was closed by one of the theatre attendants, and that portion of the building and its contents were saved. RESCUING THE COSTUMES. Outside the theatre in a disconsolate group, the chorus girls stood, while mon dashed in to recover the pantomime dresses and costumes. To the girls, the fire meant a great deal. M the flames stretched up, and the woodwork cracked, they feared that their employment for the Christmas season was gone. Then the roof fell in with a crash, the asbestos curtain thundered on to the stage, and the wails collapsed. They then knew that there would be no performance in that theatre ror many .months. An hour and a half after the company had left the stage,, the interior of the theatre was dripping with water, the private boxes were scorched* beyond" recognition, the musicians seats and music stands were charcoal; and, heaped np in a huge pile upon what remained of the stage, were the asbestos fire-proof curtain, iron girders twisted into fantastic shapes, and masses of charred wood. The specially-painted scenery was burnt to ashes, the roof had fallen in, and the walls behind the stage had collapsed like a house of cards. The space that had been filled by the gay chorus was a mere gap, the auditorium was like a pond, all the hangings in the theatre were either scorched or dripping with water, and the roof and walls were peeling with the heat and damp. How the" outbreak occurred no one knows, but the firemen are inclined to the belief that the stage, which is lighted bv gas, became overheated owinll to the prolonged rehearsal, and that a portion of tho scenery smouldered, and afterwards burst into flames. SAVED BY THE SAFETY CURTAIN. Upon the alarm being given, someone rushed forward and let down the asbestos stage curtain. That P««?Pj act undoubtedly saved the building from total destruction, and, moreover, prevented the retreat from the dress-ing-rooms being cut off. In the same building as the theatre there is a club, and it was from a window in the billiard-room that one ot tlie members first noticed the outbreak, and gave the alarm. Summoned by means of the street call, the Hornsey Fire Brigade arrived at the Opera House within four and a half minutes. In the meantime Mr Frank Knight, one of the members of the Club, assisted to get the theatre fire hose to work, and he field the nozzle and directed the stream of water on to the flames. The smoke was suffocating, but he stuck to his task. Superintendent Holland, the chief of tlie Hornsey Fire Brigade, was a little lator surprised to find the hose that Mr Harris had held unattended. It was lying among the stalls, and the water was rushing out in the auditorium. The reason for this was soon made clear. Mr Harris had been overcome by the smoke, and was found stretched out on the floor unconscious. Medical aid having been summoned, he was driven home, and next day he was reported to have recovered.