Fires In Theatres.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 50, 6 October 1887, Page 2

Fires In Theatres.

ACTION BY THE COUNCIL. Al the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday evening tbs Fire Inspector (Mr Faram) reported as follows :— Theatres: Therb are two io your Borough, There is ample room for everyone to get out of each building from the body of Ihe halt, but not (in my opinion) from th* aallerhe. At the alarm of fire the other evening there wweenlv 30 ladles In the gallery (Academy of Music) | had the gallery bean full (IM) and a rush fob the stairs been made a eoriOdi disaster would have been the result, Th* stairs are winding, and at the foot is a door opening inwards | some foolish fellow had not only shut, but looked this door. It was the duty of the Fireman attending these meetings to see that every door was free. The Fireman in charge neglected his duty In not doing so, and was severely oensurea by the {Superintendent and members of yoUr Fire Brigade. Remedy i Without attempt, iug to dictate to the proprietors of either Theatre as to the mode to adopt, I would suggest that a straight stairease not less than 6ft wide, leading from the gallery ot each Theatre, bo made into the front street, Is can be done, or else I would not suggest It, In the meantime I respectfully urge on your Council to close each gallery until some better method of egress than at present exists lias been approved of by your Council.

Or Joyce said the suggestion made iiT’tEe report was a very wise one, and one he entirely agreed with. There certainly should ba some alteration made to allow of quick egress from the buildings. The alarm of fire the other night when there was a meeting in McFarlane's Hall showed how eaiy it was to create a panic, which might end in an alarming calamity. The staircase leading to the gallery was very narrow. Cr Whinray agreed with Cr Joyce. It was a good suggestion that they should order the galleries to be closed until the necessary alterations were made.

Cr Lucas agreed with the report. It would be necessary to close up the gallery In both halls until the proprietors had provided better means of egress. He noticed that at the Theatre Royal the alterations agreed upon had not been made, and building alongside of it was going on. The Inspector said he had stopped the work until the alterations as agreed to had been completed. The report of the Inspector was unanimously adopted, and it was decided to send a copy of it to the proprietors of the Theatres, also intimating that unless the suggestion was carried into effect the gallery would be closed. * - - ’