Theatre Fire Catastrophes, and Their Prevention.

Theatre Fire Catastrophes, and Their Prevention.

(Continued from last week.)

The majority of fires during performances break out on the stage, and are due to open and unprotected, or to deficiently protected lights in too close proximity to, or amidst a mass of, unprotected and highly inflammable scenery, draperies, gauze, ropes, and woodwork. Among the numerous other causes I mention the careless lighting of gas lights on the stage, by alcohol lamps on long poles, and sometimes defects in the electric spark or flashlight apparatus, causing escapes of gas or gas explosions; carelessness in the use of lamps on the stage or in the dressing rooms, or exposure of lamps to sudden draughts; careless handling of candle lights in dressing rooms; alcohol lamps used by actresses for heating hair curling irons in the dressing room; the dropping of sparks from the lighting torches on the stage, or on decorations or papers; temporary gas conduits needed on the stage, generally consisting of rubber tubing, becoming leaky, or not being well jointed together, or becoming otherwise damaged or defective; the use of portable open gas burners near movable scenery; the use of defective gas burners and gas fittings; exposed gas pipes damaged by the shifting or carrying about of heavy pieces of scenery or furniture; main gas pipes becoming leaky, and causing escapes of gas; gas explosions in the gas meter vault, or elsewhere; swinging gas brackets setting woodwork or scenery or curtains on fire. Lights other than gas lights are often worse; the upsetting of coal oil or kerosene lamps, and the explosion of such lamps are fruitful causes of fire.