THE THEATRE FIRE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10236, 12 May 1911, Page 3

THE THEATRE FIRE.

| FURTHER DETAILS. NINE LIVES LOST. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received May 11, at 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, May 10. An eighth body has been found, and tho search continues. Lafayette was a well-known American illusionist. His body was found beside the charred remains of a favourite horse which he had apparently been endeavouring to rescue. When the stage was ablaze, a lion went mad and blocked the exit from the stage. The hands state that Lafayette was killed while making an attempt to remove the lion. It is known that nine have been killed, and it is feared that there are more fatalities. The lire arose through a paper lantern falling from the wings into the scenery during an elaborate illusion called "The Lion's Bride," ending in a harem scene. It caused a shower of sparks, and the whole scenery was j instantly ablaze. ' The audience at first believed that it i was part of Lafayette's design, with ' bombs and fireworks, hence there was little panic. The manager ran before the curtain, and asked the orchestra to play the National Anthem, the leader conducting from the stage. He was afterwards killed.

The theatre was emptied in four minutes.

The actors and stage hands meantime fought the flames, but were impeded by the maddened lion and other animals, until the whoie place was like a furnace. The safety curtain fell inwards, demoralising tho stage. Hundreds of Territorials, leaving an alarm parade, assisted the police and firemen, and prevented the fire spreading to the thickly-populated { tenements around the theatre.

Lafayette was seen outside the stage door, but he returned to save his animals.

Tho dead included a seventeen-year old girl. A little boy playing the part of a. Teddy Bear was found enclosed in a scorched bearskin.

Lafayette's company numbered 60, many of whom ran into the streets in stage dress.

A negro was found wandering about terror-stricken.

Strenuous efforts will be made to re-build the theatre in time for the "command performance."