The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-08-31
FIRE PANIC IN
PICTURE THEATRE
Twenty-Five Killed and Score
Injured.
FIGHT TO GAIN THE STREET,
Marrow Stairway Horrible Death
Trsp--Pie OF WrIthins Bodies
The L title Ones Are Tramp
LED on and Suffocsted.

Canonsburg, Pa.-Twenty-fve per-
sons were killed and more than 60
injured Saturday night when NOV
ing picture film exploded in the Can
onsburg Opera House.
Immediately following the fash OF
the film some persons shouted
"Firei" There was a rush for the
exit and in a moment there was a
writhing, screaming mass OF human
ity, 10 feet high, in the narrow stair
way leading to the entrance OF the
theatre.
Most of the dead we're smothered.
A majority Of the audience was COM
posed of women and children. In
the fierce rush for the exit they were
thrown from their feet and trampled
by men fighting their way to the
streets. Others were thrown upon
them, and those at the bottom OF the
human pile we're suffocated.
When two volunteer fire depart
ments reached the theatre the sight
staggered them. Those Of the audi
ence who had escaped from the build
ing and other spectators drawn to
the scene were rushing about the
front of the building. No person, 1t
seemed, was making any effort to aid
the struggling mass within the thea
ire.
The firemen pushed into the build
ing and practically threw persons
into the street.
AS they regained their feet they
ran shrieking into the streets in ter
ror.
The fireman neared the bottom OF
the pile and began to bring out the
unconscious forms of the injured and
later came the dead,
The dead were laid tenderly in a
row along the sidewalk. Relatives
struggled to break past the guards
and reach the victims.
Within a few moments after the
| film flashed and the panic started the
fire whistles we're blown. Practical
ly the entire population of the town
responded and packed in narrow Pike
street, from which the fatal theatre
entrance led. All of them we're ap-
parently terror-stricken and could
| give little aid. The only cool per-
sons we're the firemen and the several
members of the police force.
John Mccullough, operator of the
moving picture machine, had just
thrown the subject of the next series
of pictures on the screen entitled "A
Little Girl Shall Lead Them" when
the film exploded and the asbestos
cabinet was filled with flames. Fol
several moments the audience, num-
bering upwards of 1900 persons, was
totally unaware of the accident, and
the operator heroically fought down
the flames and succeeded in ex'
tinguishing them.
Then, his hands burned and almost
suffocated, he opened the door of the
little box and staggered out. With
the opening of the door dense cloud
of smoke poured into the auditorium
At this moment some person yell
ed "Fire!" The spectators turned
in their seats, saw the smoke, jump
ed to their feet and then started the
awful rush for the lone doorway
leading to the narrow, eight-foo
stairway.
At the stairway they collided ant
jammed into probably 200 other per
sons who we're awaiting Ne end o.
the performance to take the places
of those who had seen the show.
Immediately the narrow stairwa!
was packed and jammed 10 feet higf
with the dead and dying, the shrek
ing injured and the screaming un
hurt, while the crowds of townspeo
pie rushed to the scene and added
confusion to the din.
The list of dead probably woult
have been greater but for the hero
ism of Miss Mary Craig, pianist a
the theatre. When the cries of fire
sounded and the rush to safety start
ed Miss Craig began playing a SLOW
march. Over and over she playe'
the selection, never faltering, ant
many in the crowd caught the SWIM
of the music and assisted in holding
back the crowd. When the audienc
had swept from the building Mis-
Craig left uninjured.