FATAL FIRES IN THEATRES.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2413, 29 December 1881, Page 4

FATAL FIRES IN THEATRES.

[The " Argus."]

Tho frightful loss of life which has attended the destruction by fire of the theatre in tho Ring Straose, at Vienna, shows that no precautions will prevent a tragedy of this kind when a panic takes possession of tho mindo of an endangerod crovrd. In the construction of the edifice whioh has just been burnt speoial pains appear to have been taken to provide for the easy and rapid egress of the uudienoe in the event of such a casualty as that which has just happened and, from all we can learn, the building could have been readily emptied in a few minutes. Nevertheless, it is_ deplorable that under the influence of panio an exoitad orowd rushed wildly to the doors ; the gaß was suddenly extinguished, increasing tho terror of the frenzied fugitives; men, women, and ohildren were knocked down in the confusion, blocking up tho avenues of escape, and more than 500 lives were sacrificed to this temporary epidemic of fear. Coming so soon after the burning of the Italian Opera House in Nice, on the 23rd of March last, by which at least 100 persons lost their lives, the event has necessarily created e> most painful sensation, especially as the first named calamity was preceded by the destruction of the Brooklyn Theatre on the 2nd December, 1576 ; upon which occasion 150 persons were burnt to death, and a great number seriously injured. In point of magnitude, however, the latest horror is unparalled.in so far as theatres are ooncerned, during the present century, but it was far exceeded by tho awful carnage which aooompanied the consumption by fire of the Church of the Jesuits, at Santiago, in Chili, on the Bth Dsoember, 1863, when no IeBS than 2000 corpses were romoved from the ruins after tho flames had burnt themselves out.

To perish by fire appears to be the natural fate of all theatres, and three have been swept away by this agency in Melbourne alone. OE the 520 playhouses, circuses, and opera-houses whioh are reoorded as having been burnt down, nearly 470 have been destroyed during the last 120 years. Happily, on such occasions loss of life is not the rule, but the exception. There have been some calamities of this kind, however, in whiob tho soorificc of human beings has been something appalling. Such was the burning of a theatre in Amsterdam in 1772, by which 800 persons perished ; at Saragossa, in Spain, in the some year, when 1000 men, women and ohildren lo«t their lives ; at the theatre in the Palais Royal, in Paris, where nearly 500 persons were burned to death in 1781; and at the fall and conflagration of the Cafe d'lstria Theatre, in Italy, in 1794, when no less than 1000 men and women were crushed or charred to a cinder.

During the present century the fatal fires in theotres, excluding those at Brooklyn, Nice and Vienna, already alluded to, have been these: —

On the 15th of October, 1807, a panic was caused by a false alarm of fire in the Sadler's Wells Theatre, Islington, when eighteen persons were trampled to death in the precipitate stampede which ensued. On the 6th of D*cember, 1811, a fire broke out in the theatre at Bichmoad, Virginia, during a performance at which 600 persons were present. There was a wild rush to the doors, with the usual result, and sixtyseven persons, including the Governor of the State and tke manager's daughter, lost their lives.

On tbo 14th of June, 1846, a fire occurred in the Theatre Boyal, Quebeo, while the performance was taking place, and forty-six persons perished in the flames. On the 27th of December, 1858, a false alarm of fire was given at the Ooburg Theatre in London, while the performance of the Christmas pantomime was in progress. Frantic efforts to escape were made by a crowded audience, and although the police and the fire brigade heroically exerted themselves to allay the panio, sixteen persons were killed and numbers badly injured. On the 13th of January, 1865, the Theatre Boyal, Edinburgh, caught fire during the performance, and numerous lives were lost, bnt the precise number was never ascertained. Oa the sth of February, 1876, while a matinee entertainment was being given at Robinson's Opera houss in Cincinnati, for a charitable purpose, in which 600 ohildren took part us performoro, Bomebody, through misohief or ignorance, raised an alarm of fire, on the exhibition of a red light, incidental to the entertainment. The theatre was densely pucked with women and ohildren, who succumbed to the customary panio. The weak were knocked down ard trampled on by the strong. Ten persons wore killed outright, and hundreds of others were more or less injured. In the Chinese theatre, San Francisco, a few w«eks before the destruction of the Brooklyn Theatre, a piece of mattiDg was accidentally set alight to. The cry of " fire " wbb raised, a rush ensued, and seventeen of the audience wore orushed to death, and numbers of others seriously hurt. It is creditable to the courigo and self-possession of the Chinese nctors to add that they calmly proceeded with the performance until the flames wero extinguished.

In Paris the Grand Opera-house has been burnt down four times, and the Theatre Nioolat, afterwards tho Gaiete, the Odeon, the Gymnapie Enfantin, and the Durant twice; and nineteon other theatres have shared tho Bame fato. Warned by those calamities in France, the municipal authorities in tho neighboring kingdom of Belgium have instituted some very stringent regulations for the protootion of the public, in conformity with tho report of a commission appointed by the Burgomaster and Echcvino of Brussels, and including the ohief commissioner of police, tho captain of firemen, the gas engineer, tho manager of the water work?, and the head of the department of fine arts for tho capital. Among the more important of these regntions aro tho following :—No new theatre or hall is allowed to be built unless completely isolated from other buildings. Two staircases and two issues in the outer wall must bo provided for each floor or tier. All staircasos must be of stone or iron. The scene dooks, wardrobes, and property rsoms mu9t be isolated from the otngo by iron doors; no superfluous scenery is allowed to remain on the stago during performances involving the use of firearms, conflagrations, &o.; and a special authority for ouch dangerous representations has to bo procured from the oouccils. In addition to a fire engine, four hydrants with hose have to be provided. A fireman must be always present in tho theatre, and three during a performance. At the close of each entertainment, tho watchman, accompanied by a fireman, mußt inspect every part of tho building, and enter his report in a book. Tho bolts of the escape doors are to fall simultaneously, by moans of eleotricity, the moment an alarm is given. A metal plate or glass bell must be placed over every gas burner less than sft from the oeiling. No smoking is allowed either before or behind the curtain. The lighting of fires and gas, or other lightj, must be effeoted only by employes specially detailed for the purpoie, and in no other munner but by special lamps burning spirits of wine. These employes must see that the lights are properly regulated, and mu3t give notice of any repairs that may be required to burners, pipes, meters, and appliances for lighting and heating. The lights connected with the stage aro declared to be ui:der the supervision of the stage-manager, who is held responsible for their good condition, and the use of petroleum is strictly forbidden. In the event of a fire breaking out, all sweepß, masons, carpenters, And tilers may be requisitioned by the burgomaster or police officers to execute tho works ordered either by tho police or the captain of firemen; and cab proprietors are obliged, "for a consideration," to supply horses for transporting the life-saving apparatus.