FIRE SERIOUSLY DAMAGES THEATRE

Chronicle (Levin), 10 August 1946, Page 3

FIRE SERIOUSLY DAMAGES THEATRE

CllRlSTCliriU'il, Aug. n. Fi ro seriously dauiageil the Avoa Thoatre at Uklo last eveuing just ailei the buildiag' had been olosed at the euu oi the eioaiag session. A passer-by noticed a dense oloud ol ; sinoke aad a refleeled glare in aii alieyway at the side of the theatre and immediately gave the alarm. Four engines from the oentral iire station answereu the oall and when the brigade arriveu the lire had a good hold. Althbugli niu oause of the lire will not be made known ; until a eonipleto survey is made, its oeatral poiats appeared to be beneatn the stage and above it. Heavy sinoke made oonditions diffioult for the lireiuen, the doors of tne theatre remaiuing olosed until the lire had been got uiuler oontrok The damage throughout the auditorium was extensive. The roof at ihe stage end or Ihe theatre was burned eompletely oui aiol the loudspoaker equipineut badiy damaged. Curtains about the stage wero destroyed and seats as far as haiiway bao k in the auditorium wero badiy burned. Furlher baok they wero also heavily daniaged, the eovcring craoKing and disintegratiug at the lightesi touoh. Tho woodwork all over tue thoatre was blistered and burned and paintwork 011 the projection bo.x was also blistered. Allhough ihe lieat was intonse about the box, whioh has 0011orete walls, there was 110 clainage to the lilms inside.