PREVENTION OF FIRE IN THEATRES.
In a paper recently published in Dingler’s Polytechnic Journal C. Wegener draws attention to the fact that the amphitheatre being the best possible “ventilating pipe” of the point of origin of a possible fire, a radical alteration of the ventilating conditions in theatres would be the most fundamental requirement. The dangers of locating the main ventilating tube above the amphitheatre are pointed out, the hot and, accordingly, rather expansive gases, as produced in the case of a fire on the stage, being instantaneously sucked through the amphitheatre. Fireproof curtains would be quite illusory in the case of a similar arrangement of the ventilation, both in the case of their being of asbestos and of iron, this being the cause of the inefficiency of the asbestos curtain with the Chicago disaster. Moreover, a partial lowering of the asbestos curtain must result in the ventilating effect being increased, as the fire gases, after being momentarily stagnated, will in the next moment issue from below the curtain with elefnentary force, igniting all they find on their way. The ventilating pipe, therefore, should he located at the back end of the stage, ventilating the whole of the amphitheatre above the stage. For which reason three or more pipes should be arranged at suitable places, each provided with a reliable suction device. In order that the gases may have an issue at any height, the pipes should be fitted with suction openings at different heights, when the fire gases, following the horizontal suction, would instantaneously issue outside through the opening. Suitable safeguards, as for instance fireproof curtains, would in this case prove satisfactory.
In a paper recently published in Dingler’s Polytechnic Journal C. Wegener draws attention to the fact that the amphitheatre being the best possible “ventilating pipe” of the point of origin of a possible fire, a radical alteration of the ventilating conditions in theatres would be the most fundamental requirement. The dangers of locating the main ventilating tube above the amphitheatre are pointed out, the hot and, accordingly, rather expansive gases, as produced in the case of a fire on the stage, being instantaneously sucked through the amphitheatre. Fireproof curtains would be quite illusory in the case of a similar arrangement of the ventilation, both in the case of their being of asbestos and of iron, this being the cause of the inefficiency of the asbestos curtain with the Chicago disaster. Moreover, a partial lowering of the asbestos curtain must result in the ventilating effect being increased, as the fire gases, after being momentarily stagnated, will in the next moment issue from below the curtain with elefnentary force, igniting all they find on their way. The ventilating pipe, therefore, should he located at the back end of the stage, ventilating the whole of the amphitheatre above the stage. For which reason three or more pipes should be arranged at suitable places, each provided with a reliable suction device. In order that the gases may have an issue at any height, the pipes should be fitted with suction openings at different heights, when the fire gases, following the horizontal suction, would instantaneously issue outside through the opening. Suitable safeguards, as for instance fireproof curtains, would in this case prove satisfactory.
