The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-17
HUNDRED MILLION FIRE.
BELGIAN'S WORLDS FAIR UT.
TERLY DESTROYED.
Oniy Two Known to Have Perished.
out Escape of Others is Considered
Little Less Than Marvellous.

brussels, Aug. 14.-The White
City Of the Worlds Fair, as the Bel
gians have called their 1910 exposi-
ton, is tonight mass of flames and
smouldering ruins. A spark falling
into infiammable material burst into
flames which, driven by a high wind,
swept In all directions Soon the Bel
gian. English and French sections
were destroyed. The firemen and de-
tachments of soldiers, called quickly
to the scene, found themselves baf.
fled by the veritable gale which car
ried the burning embers to all parts
of the grounds.
To the left Of the main buildings
rise the picturesque roofs and spires
of Brussels Kermessee," Belgian
Coney Island, with water chutes. to-
boggan slides and scores of side
shows. This place was alive with
Sunday crowds, and before they could
be gotten out with any semblance Of
order the Kermesse was afire. The
crowds became panic stricken and
men, women and children fought
madly to escape. The exits became
choked with the struggling mass and
men used their fists to clear the path
way. Many were trampled under foot
and badly injured.
An engine corps from Antwerp at
tempted to dynamite the bridge of the
French section in the hope of check
ing the fire, but the flames leaped
ocross and engulfed the Italian, Rus
sian, Austrian, Japanese, Chinese and
Norwegian buildings. Forty houses
on the Avenue Solbosch adjoining the
exposition were destroyed.
At the time Of the outbreak not less
than 100000 persons were circulating
in the grounds and the Kermesse.
Troops were ordered out and came at
double-quick to aid the police in
clearing the great grounds. This was
accomplished in fair order except
within the limits of the Kermesse.
Soon the enormous facade tumbled
In ruins. Considering the rapidity Of
the confagration the small loss of life
Is marvellous. So far as is known
uptto late hour tonight, only two
are dead. The injured as officially
announced number 80, but probably
many hundreds received minor hurts.
AS the flames reached the menage-
RE it was decided to shoot the beasts
but the heat drove back the soldiers
and the animals were left to their
fate.
The fire was finally got under con-
troll, but the Belgian and English sec
ttons are in ruins, while all the other
sections, including the American,
were partly destroyed.
Bands Of thieves engaged in pillage
and a soldier was stabbed while at
tempting to arrest three men whom
he found rif1ing jewelry exhibit.
The aggregate loss will be enor-
nous. 1t is estimated at 500, 1000, 900.
The diamond exhibitors are heavy
losers.
Many exhibitors were uninsured in
the French art section, the priceless
Gobelins, paintings and sculptures
were ruined, as were the rich treas
ures in the English, Belgian, Persian
and Turkish sections. All the ar
chives were burned and it will there
fore be impossible to confer medals
and diplomas
The fire was due to a short circuit.
In addition to the panic that prevailed
there We're several minor panics at
others points within the grounds and
women and children were crushed in
the rush. Some of the wild animals
escaped from their cages and added
terror to the scene.