The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-01-14
Explosion During Entertain
ment Sets Building on Fire
and Panic Results in Which
Scores are Killed.

Boyerstown. Pa, Jan. 14.-Explor-
alton OF the steaming ruins OF
Rhoades' opera house today and poll
OF 81. Johns Lutheran church parish
/ indicates the death list, resulting from
the fire panic, will approximate $50.
SO far 70 bodies are Identified, ac-
cording TO the coroner. Fatalities
may result from 75 injured in the
hospitals. Many bodies were inciner-
ated and dismembered hands and fin
gers have been found. which literally
were trampled on. The disaster .was
due TO the panic and stampede after
an explosion of a moving picture ma.
chine. inconsequential In itself. but
the flash scared people and the rush
began. which ended In the deaths
after lamps used for footllghts were
kicked over.
Boyertown, Pa, Jan. 14.-Betwcon
fifty and seventy persons were burned
to death last night In fire which
completely destroyed the Rhoads
opera house IN this city.
The opera house was crowded with
members of ST. Johns Lutheran sun
day school. who were attending
benefit given for that church, While
the show was in progress a tank ex-
ploded. The actors endeavored to
quiet the audience but In their aux
iety 10 make themselvesheard and to
ok.,tJ IN arf,,1 at.,,t.aa. % ,,.,u,an
and children. the coal oiY lamps which
were used as foot lights were over.
turned. setting the place on fire
The flames fed by the oil. shot al
most to the ceiling and there was a
wild rush OF seven hundred persons
TO escape from the burning building.
scores OF women and children were
trampled upon and several who es-
capped being burned to death, died
after being dragged from the opera
house.
In many cases II Is stated that en-
tire families have been wiped out
scores of persons who we're in the
balcony at the time the explosion oc-
Cured. Jumped from the windows
and sustained fractured limbs and
skulls
To add TO the terrible disaster. the
fire apparatus became disabled and
the structure was left entirely to the
mercy OF the seethlng flames.
II Is almost certain that not a YES
tige OF the bodies OF unfortunates who
were overcome by the smoke and per-
lshed will ever be found.
Assistance was asked from Potts
town. but before the fire apparatus
from that city reached this place, the
entire center of the structure was a
roaring furnace!
Had the women and children heed
ed the warnings of the cooler heads in
the audience. the horrible loss of life
might have. been avoided. but there
was the usual panic and stampede
which invariably follows at such a
catastrophe. The flames spread rap
idly and communicated to the other
parts of the theater. Men, women and
children rushed for the many exits
and the weaker sex and the children
were trampled and manned In the
mad rush to gain the street.
Assistance was at once asked of
both Reading and Pottstown and
special trains carrying nurses and doc
tors were rushed to the scene OF the
disaster.
Every home within radius OF half
a dozen blocks OF the opera house
was made temporary hospital,
where the wounded We're rushed by
carriages and other means of convey
ance.
Boyertown Is borough with pop
ulation of about twenty five hundred
and is located about midway between
Pottstown and Reading.
Hundreds OF persons surrounded