THEATRE FIRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 91, 8 December 1931, Page 5

THEATRE FIRE

SOON EXTINGUISHED REEL OF FlLM DESTROYED IN OPERATING BOX AT GRAND THEATRE LOUD EXPLOSION CAUSED Ahout 8.27 last evening the Rotorua Fire Brigade was called out- to deal with a fire which had occurred in, the operating box in the Grand Theatre in Tutanekai Street, but on arrival the brigade found that the operat'pr had already succqeded in extinguishing a reel of film which had caught alight.. The 'fire occurred just as the operator was in the act pf changing the reel. Seizing a fire extinguisher, he immediately plqyed it on the magazine but the cold' spray apparently had the effect; °f exploding the gas which had generated. The operator succeeded in extinguishing the burning spopl, however, and swept it outsi'de with broom. The second machine was working at the time of the outbreak and continued to do so after the operator blacked out by closing all the shutters. Beyond the sudden cessation of the picture, the audience was not aware of anything seriously amiss until the explosipn occurred. Even then there was no stampede, but the theatre emptied very rapidly. There was no danger of the fire spreading to the building as the operating box, in conformity with the regulations, was so cpnstructed that it would confine any fire to its own walls. One reel of film was entirely destroyed and some damage was done to the machine and various material in the box. A curious crowd quickly collected but soon dispersed when it was seen that the fire had been promptly extinguished. — *— — — 1 1 1