THE DISASTROUS FIRE AT NINGPO.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 4077, 21 February 1894, Page 5

THE DISASTROUS FIRE AT NINGPO.

The Eastern and Australian line steamer Airlie, from Japanese and Chinese ports, arrived in Sydney Harbor on January 28, bringing lengthy reports of the fatal fire that occurred at Ningpo last month, and previously briefly reported by cable. One account says: — The Kiangteen, which arrived here on Saturday morning, brought news that an appalling accident had occurred at Ningpo on Friday afternoon, resulting in the death of between 200 and 300 women and children. It appears that the annual theatrical performance of the first of the eleventh moon, in honor of the gods,, was being given in a temple *n the settlement, and was attended by upwards of 400 people. As moat people in China know, there is frequently a permanent stage in the courtyard of large Chinese temples. It is situated between the temple and the gate, while the audience, when there is a representation, is between the temple and the stage. The temple at Ningpo, where the accident happened, was called the Zau-tsu-ching miao, a two-storeyed building, and both storeys were monopolised by women and children to witness the performance. The people were enjoying themselves generally — smoking, eating, chatting, and drinking tea. Among the crowd was a boy who was smoking a cigarette, which he threw away in a heap of straw at the foot of the staircase leading to the upper storey of the temple. The straw quickly blazed up, and, burning the staircase, prevented the people getting out. Of course, there was a general rush to escape ; some were trampled to death, others jumped out of the windows, and were either killed or so badly injured that they were unable to escape the flames, and so perished, while others passively awaited their fate, which was not long in overtaking them, and they were roasted alive or suffocated by the smoke.