Evening star., 1911-08-27
TWENTY-FIVE DEAD
IN THEATER PANIC
Cry of "Fire" Following Ex-
pIosion of Picture Films
Proves Fatal.
SIXTY ARE INJURED
i. IN RUSH TO ESCAPE
Bodies Piled High at Exit Of Can
onsburg, Pa, Opera House.
OPERATOR ExTINGUIsHED FIRE
Little Need for Alarm, But Audience
Became frightened on Seeing
Volume Of Smoke Flow
Into Building.
Bodies Piled High at Exit Of Can.
onsburg, Pa, Opera House.
OPERATOR EXTINGUISHED FIRE

CANoNSBURG. Pa. August 26-
Twenty-Five persons were killed and
more than sixty injured tonight when
a moving picture film exploded In the
Canonsburg Opera House.
Immediately following the flash of
the film some persons shouted Fire"
There was rush for the exit and In
a moment there was a writhing.
screaming mass OF humanity ten feet
high In the narrow stairway leading
to the entrance Of the theater.
Most of the dead were smothered. A
majority of the audience was composed
OF women and children. In the fierce
rush for the exit, they were thrown
from their feet and trampled. Others
were thrown upon them and those at
the bottom OF the human pile were suf-
focated.
Firemen Garry Out Dead.
When two volunteer fire companies
reached the theater the sight staggered
escaped from the building and other
spectators drawn to the scene were
rushing about in an excited manner. No
person. It seemed. was making any ef-
fort to aid the struggling mass within the
theater.
Tho nremen pushed Into the building
and practically threw persons into the
street.
A they regained their fest they ran
shrie11ng IN terror about the streets. As
the nremen neared the bottom Of the
pile thsy began to bring out the uncon-
bdious forms Of the injured and later
tame the dead.
The dead were laid In Q row along the
sidewalk. Relatives fought and strug-
tfsd to break past the guards and reach
khe vict1mA
Idst Of the Victims.
The dead:
Arthur Beak. twenty-five years old.
Francis Bird, thirteen years old (col-
ored-
MangelI A. Robinson, seventeen years
old.
Mrs. Frederick Marshall. forty years old.
Mrs Harry Kelley. thirty-nine years
old Of Houston, Pa
Earl Kelley. five years old, son OF Mrs.
Kelley.
Adoph Butfesky. twenty-six years old.
Walter Nish, twelve years old
wolcott, twelve years old.
George Kay, fourteen years old.
Paul Nestle. twelve years old.
Frank Syberoski. fifteen years old.
Five-year- daughter of Tony
Gledish.
sydney Ritter. twenty-six years old.
Mrs. Callie Young. thirtyfive years
old.
Klegs, nine years old.
Murray Hill. sixteen years old.
= Five-year-old daughter of Wilbur
Lane.
Nellie McKettrick. twenty-five years
old.
Weaverstown. Pa
Two unknown women, about twenty
two and twenty-t three years old.
Two unknown men. about twenty-five
and thirty-five years old.
An unknown six-month-old infant
Population Terror Stricken.
Within q few minutes after the nlm
whistles were blown. Practically the en-
kire population Of the town responded
and packed in narrow Pike street, from
which the fatal theater entrance led.
All Of them were apparently terror
stricken and could give little aid. The
only cool persons were the flremen and
several members Of the police force
John Mccullough. operator of the NOV
-, ha6
the subject Of the next series Of pic
tufes on the screen. entitled. "a Little
Girl Shall Lead Them" when the film
exploded. and the asbestos cabinet was
filled with flames For several mo-
rnents the audience. numbering upward
Of 1900, was totally unaware of the
accident. and the operator heroically
fought down the flames and succeeded
I'm extinguishing 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 a dense cloud of
smoke poured into the auditorium.
Cry Of "Fire" Given
At this moment some person yelled
Fire. The spectators turned in their
seats. saw the smoke. jumped to their
feet and then started the awful rush
for the lone doorway leading to the
narrow sight-foot stairway. At the
stairway they collided and jammed into
probably zoo other persons who were
awaiting the end of the performance to
take the places OF those who had seen
the show.
Immediately the narrow stairway was
packed and jammed ten feet high with
the dead and dying. the shrieking in
jured and the screaming unhurt. while
the crowds of townspeople rushed to the
scene and added confusion to the din
Some person notified the volunteer fire
departments. The firemen literally threw
| and dragged the uninjured out of the
building. where they were taken in charge
| by other firemen and forced to move some
| distance down Pike street. At this point
other fremen were stationed as guards
| TO keep them from rushing back to the
theafer after relatives and friends.