The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-30 00:00:00

• -
exceedingly nunien

many ladies preferred going to the Alameda, or
Avenue of Poplars, which is the grand promenade ;
but on the other hand, all the servant girlt; in town
received permission to attend. The doers of the
church opened at 6 o'clock (or near that tinie), and.
the women took their places, each scramb:ing, as
usual, for the bast, or that nearest the pulpit
and principal altar. The echolytes commenced
lighting the lamps; unfortunately they were rot
fed with oil, but with camphine, or es it is
called here, gas portatil. The principal iiaage of
the Virgin, in the centre of the altar, was supported
by a fine half-moon or crescent of brilliant lumps.
On lighting these an accident took place (the de-
tails are not known or well investig.tted). The fire
communicated to the other surrounding lamps, to
the artificial flowers and garlands, candies,

Either the people inside the church did not per-
ceive the fire, or the greater part thought it might
be easily extinguished (as on previous nights it was
not uncommon to see the acholytes blundering-
in their task) or some may have thought it best to
wait, and may have been unwilling to lose their
places. Meanwhile, the fire had extended to the
roof, which was of wood, and to the dorcr, also of
wood, and the spectators began to perceive the
danger they were in. Many left the church quietly,
but in a few minutes the greatest confusion pre-
vailed. The 3,000 inmates of the church ran to the
doors. The building has three large doors in the
front, but only one —the eentre one—was available ;
the others were always closed, and never made use
of. The two side doors of the church were
available ; but the chief number ran to the princi-
pal or front door, and the side door that opens on
Bandera-street. The other side door opens on a
small court, at the side of the new Congress, a
building yet unfinished.

About a third of the congregation, it arhears,
managed to run out and escape, but the rest of the
women fell upon each other at the very doors, and,
instead of opening a passege to let others escape,
formed a complete wedge, and the bodies remained
locked together in rows one upon the other; these
masses becoming every motor.= higher arid more
compile-, and none being able to extricate herself,
as she was fastened or caught hoid of by a dezni
hands behind her. You can im.lgine the shrieks
and agonies of these poor creatures strugg-iing for
life, and endeavouring to escape from the middle
of the church, where the fire had already taken pm.,
session of the dome, and where the lames and
chandeliers were falling. It is natural to suppose
that they must have fled to the side naves, and
placed themselves under the arches. But mean-
while the fire advanced, and no outlet was to be
found. The doors were obstructed. Some few
passers by had given the alarm. Many flocked to
the Piezuela de la Campania, reached the doors,
and tried to pull the people out ; but it was impas-
sible; it required the strength of a steam engine to
move the compact mass of human beings locked
together. Some with outstretched arms beckoned
to those outside; others implored assistance, calling
the succourers by their names; others could hardly
speak, and only signified their wishes by a motion
of their heads or lips. Some were suffocated with
the weight of those above and around them; others
were suffocated with the flames and smoke. Those
who ventured to rescue them had to be brought or
pulled out by a dozen companions, more dead than
alive. All was confusion and alarm, the bystanders
tearing their hair and running about wild in the
streets without being able to afford the least assis-
tance. A man on horseback, a country guaso, threw
his lase (or rope of hide, which they always carry
attached to the saddle) into the church, and a thou-
sand hands tried to catch hold of it. Some did seize
it, and were dragged out by the man and the
strength of the horse; but the second time the same
attempt was made the laso gave way. A few moments
afterwards the bystanders saw the women inside in
flames. Their clothes had caught fire ; the fire had
reached their heads, and their hair was on fire. A
great flame came across the church; the doors and
other wooden parts took fire. The sufferers dropped
down their heads and arms without a shriek, and all
was silence. The church was a furnace, above and
below—the roof and the victims underneath. Never
was there such a spectacle, nor do I think history
can present a parallel.
When I reached the spot all the interior of the
church was a red flame. I only heard the cries and
wailing of the people in the square and streets ; the
running about of wild men, and the crash of the
dome falling in the midst of the ruins, A few
minutes afterwards the tower or spire, also of wood,
caught fire, and in a quarter of an hotur was con-
sumed and fell into the church.
"How many vic-
tims have perished ?" every ono asked ; every ono
was calling out for his mother, his wife, his sister,
relatives, &c. I immediately calculated that 1,500
souls had perished, as I
Sa
plazuela or streets. Some thought 60oormla0n in the
plazuela agrteaet
figure, bat during the evening the truth was to be
discovered, Few had escaped ; a small number hed
been brought out, half burnt and in a deplorable
state. As the fire burnt itself out--for here we
have, it is shameful to say, no fire-engines—the
bodies in the church began to be visible, as they
lay in horizontal strata, or in groups standing or
kneeling, in their last posture, as the fire nad
caught them ; the greater portion near the doors,
others under the arches, others under the great bell,
which had fallen on the group near the principal
door_ The appalling idea then presented itself to
some persons that the dead numbered 500 or 690,
but next morning, when the bodies were removed
and couuted, the first lot numbered 1,400, and still
many remained. According to the lists of people
missing which the papers publish, the victims out-
number 2,000. According to these lists the greater
portion—say two-thirds, are servants and people of
the humbler class ; one-third at least belong to flea
principal families of Santii•go.
that this
mendous, and the spectacle so appalling, _one
of
The consternation was so great, the blow o tre
catastrophe passed at first like 9 drerli•nani;
sleep
the living slept that night, nor could
for successive nights after.
There is hardly a family
relative. Two
not mourn the less of some ne.r
fic-d in a quarter o.,„tat
thousand victims' were saeri
in Suntionv that does
hour, in a small enclosure 60 yards by 30.