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On this day in 1903, the Iroquois Theater caught fire and burned. At least 602 people were killed; many were children. The theater, which had only been open one month, was considered to be architecturally excellent, and advertisements had declared it fireproof.
The fire occurred during a sold-out performance of the musical Mr. Bluebeard. The fire began when one of the lights over the stage shorted out and ignited a muslin curtain. The fire quickly spread through the flies to the hanging scenery, and a fireball traveled from the stage to the back of the balconies.
The high death toll was the result of a combination of faults in the design, construction, and operation of the theater. Lack of extinguishers and alarms, a malfunctioning asbestos curtain, sealed vents, a confusing layout, locked doors, and locked metal gates that blocked the balcony stairways all contributed to the fire's high death toll.
After the fire, panic bars were introduced to make emergency exits more accessible, maximum seating capacities were enforced to prevent crushing crowds, ventilation standards were changed to prevent fireballs and smoke buildup, and numerous regulations were passed to ensure that buildings have clear pathways, clearly marked exits, and doors that are unlocked and easy to open.
credit Library of Congress
