The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-23
IHE HORRIBLE DETAILS.
Many Lives Lost in the Portugal
Theatre Holocaust. ~
THE HEARTRENDING SCENES
That were witncsscd...Thc Haissr's
Birthday in Gcrnany-.-TGo Boul.
anger AfriIir--.other Interest.
Ing For eisn Intelligence.

LISBON, March 22.-The appalling Gre
at the Baguet Theatre, in oporto. Portu
gal, repeats the familiar history Of fatal
fires in theatres.
A house crowded TO sufToeatiOn, made:
quate means OF exit, terrible struggles
among the audience in u mad effort to
reach the street, scores trampled under
foot and severely injured, and at least q
hundred people. burned to death, so iaf
as can be found put from present exam-
nation Of the smonldering ruins. The
actual loss Of life cannot be known for
some days. 'ot
The fire originated in gas explosion
while the performance was in progress.
The inaammable material instantly
caughtti fire, producing wild panic among
the closely packed spectators. The third
tier boxes and galleries above We're
crowded with people, and only few Of
them escaped.
The debris is surrounded by weeping
throngs, whose relatives were aspiIy-
xiated or burned TO death. Hospitals
and private houses are filed with vic
tins severely injured-many fata!ly-in
the fierce struggle to reach the street.
Some who succeeded in getting out
safely died from vomiting blood. Fright
ened people leaped from windows and
were killed by the fall.
Only a partial search OF the auditor
ium and boxes has yet been made, but
the tiremen and the citizens relief corps
are constantly bringing out charred
bodies. So far as known the loss Of life
is entirely among the audience, and all
members of the company escaped.
The fire was caused by some disar-
rangement OF the gus in tie flies during
the third act. The flames swept Overthe
upper part Of the house first, giving the
people in the galleries no chance to es-
cape, while spectators on the lower floor
reached the street in comparative safety.
Somebody shut of the gas shortly after
the fire was discovered, in the hope of
checking its spread, but only left the
theatre in almost total darkness and in
creased the panic. The light woodwork
galleries were soon in a roaring blaze.
All the doorS oil the theatre opened ln-
ward, and all were closed when the
alarm was given.
The theatre holds 1900 people, and
the box Office had refused admission
tickets before the performance, so that
the loss of life is presumably very large.
At o o'clock last night the police had re-
moved the remains Of thirty bodies and
the work OF searching the ruins had only
begun. The municipal authorities put
large gangs OF men at work. The search
was prosecuted all night by the aid Of
torches. The scenes among persons
looking for missing relatives in the ruins
are heartrending.
Private information received here says
that very few people in the galleries es-
capped, and that the loss Of life is twice
as large as reported. The charred bodies
Of the man and woman found in box,
locked in close embrace, are believed
to be the remains OF Don Sorilla and
wife. He was one of tho wealthiest
merchants Of the city. No remains have
yet been positively identified.