AUSTRALIAN NEWS. GREAT FIRE IN MELBOURNE. The Bijou Theatre Destroyed. One Life Lost.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 365, 4 May 1889, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. GREAT FIRE IN MELBOURNE. The Bijou Theatre Destroyed. One Life Lost.

Auout half-pa%b four on Monday, the 22nd, a lire broke out in the dre&s circle of the Bijou Theatre, Bourke stroet East. The Hames spiead to every portion of the building, which rapidly burst into llamo. The first alarm was given by a housemaid named Kate YVatsworth, employed at the Palace Hotel. She was sitting in the pantry immediately above the dress circle and noticed a smell of burning. The brigades quickly arrived on the spot, and upwards of a hundred fhemen were soon at work. The whole theatie at that time Mas a vast volume of Inc. The (lames shooting 1 up to an immense height, and emitting an intense heat, made the spectators on the eastern side of KussellbtrceO recoil from their eiloits directed to saving the adjoining buildings. ! It. was impossible to subdue tho | flames in the Bijou, and tho lire spread to a building on the western side, at the lear of the Palace Hotel, occupied by William Marsha l !, theatrical printer, completely gutting it. Jubt befoie this building caught a portion of tho Bijou wall fell outwaids, inflicting the injuries recorded below. The flames were confined to this block, and by about 6 o'clock it was seen that tho conflagration was under control. The Bijou Theatie building is insured for £15,000, and the fittings for £500. The estimated lops is between £40,000 and £50,000. Though the Palace Hotel escaped, it was in considerable danger for a portion of the time, and it is a good deal damaged by water. The Bijou Theatre was completed in 1876, and was opened in November of that year by the Governor Sir George Bowen. The opening was celebrated by a grand conceit, at which the late lima de Murska was the leading artist. It passed into tho hands of the Victorian Permanent Building Society, and is now leased by Mr J. A. Wilson, ler-sceof the Palace Hotel, from the Rev. Mr Brewster, a wealthy in\estor out of the colony, at £1,300. The tire was visible over an immense area, and quickly attracted thousands of spectators, who deserted the various sports and flocked to the scone, thionging the thor<-»ughfaies, ' and for a time stopping the tram and -vehicular traflic in Bourke street, which to night was crowded with sightseers. Captain Parsons, of the East Melbourne Fiie Brigade, with a fireman named Otto Pen and Charles Banks, was standing on the gangway of the bridge leading from the property-ioom to the theatre, when a portion of the wall fell outwards, smashing Parsons's skull. He died in the hospital at half- past ten. Pen suffered a concussion of the brain and lacerated round's on the head. His injuries are saiious. Charles Banks had his head cut. Samuel Scott, a fiieman, while bravely attempting to rescue pe.&ons from the debris was burnt about the neck and back. His wounds were dressed at the hospital, and he went home. Frederick Moi ris was innued about the head by bricks falling on him. He was attended to at the hospital, and went home. Lieutenant Thomas, of the Carlton Brigade, fell fiom the roof. He was insensible when admitted to the hospital, but has since regained consciousness. He is nob dangerously injured. Robert) Dando is suHering from concussion of the brain, received through falling from the roof. Charles Williams, aged 28, the hall - keeper of the V.R.C., whilst assisting the h'remon tell through a skylight, from a height of 30ft, fracturing his skull and also his right arm. His> case is regarded as hopeless. Brough and Boucicault estimate their immediate loss at ClO,OOO. Not a penny is insured. The members of the company lose hea\ily. Williams died early this morning.