Evening star., 1922-09-23
CHILDREN QU|zzED
ON THEATER CRASH
Authorities Seek Cause of
Collapse in Which Fifty
Eight Are Injured.
ONE KILLED, FOUR MAY DIE
Building Inspector Declares Floor
ing of Movie House Was I'm
properly Constructed.
ONE KILLED, FOUR MAY DIE
CiJTAe
lNilLiG'1o

PITTSBURGH, September c3.-City
officials, conducting an investigation
of the collapse of the foyer OF the
Strand Theater yesterday afternoon
began today to take statements OF
some of the fifty-eiGht children. most
of whom were injured when the con-
crete floor dropped to the basement.
Madeline KunkIe, eight years of age,
one Of those invited to the free show
ing of the picture. The Trap" was
killed, and eighteen of the injured are
in hospitals. Only four are in crlti-
cal condition. Several sustained broken
arms or legs.
Find Defective Joists.
Coroner w. ]. McGregor and experts
of the department of building inspec-
ton said that many of the joists in
the theater were rotten.
Sol Selzenick, proprietor OF the
theater, who was injured, placed the
blame on the builders and municipal
building inspectors. He said the build
ing was recently pronounced OK. oy
municipal experts.
Criminal responsibility will rest
with the coroner's jury" said Coroner
be held responsible for the flmsy
foundation. Not only were the 1olsts
in a. rotten condition, but they were
imbedded in the side walls to depth
of less than three incleS. we found
that the sewer in the basement had
backed up recently, and that the
wooden supports underneath the lobby
floor were anything but solid. Col
lapse was inevitable.
Date has not Deeu fixed for the in
quest to determine responsibility Tor
the death of eight-year-ol Madeline
Kunkle. The child was crushed by
falling stone and her own companions.
She was in the center or the foyer
when the floor cracked, and her body
was found beneath an unconscious
girl of nine and a bleeding boy Of
eight.
Many Of the youngsters, who es,,
caped with cuts, and bumps, gathered
today at the Fairgrounds OF their
schools to recount their experiences.
Apparently they had forgotten the
vivid phases Of the tragedy. They
were kids again-laughingly posing
for photographers.
Seven of their companions, four boys
and three girls, were among the miss
ing, They sustained broken legs or
arms. All were being cared for at
Cnelr MONIES, dlu uLlchulhS Piiy SAS@s~AAS
sa i'd they were normal cases."
'.They.ll be out before long," de-
clared a doctor who attended three OF
them.
Free tickets had been issued to school
children for yesterdays show. Scores
of them, gaily attired. clustered about
the corridor, awaiting admission. Then
came the crash, and the joyous throng
was dropped fifteen feet into the eel
lar and covered with blocks of rock
and concrete. Their bodies were
ripped and torn.
Parents Storm Building.
The alarm spread quickly and fran
tic parents stormed the building.
shrieking for their children: Cooler
heads restrained the hyster1cal
mothers.
A crew of men worked in the chasm
today clearing away the debris,
Several investigators scanned the
wreckage in an attempt to fix respon-
sibility for the disaster.
A city building inspector reported
the flooring had been improperly con-
structed Sol Selzenick, the proprietor,
said the building was Inspected Two
months ago and pronounced sound.
The free show was arranged sew
eraf days ago exclusively for neigh
borhood school children. The pro-
gram was to start about 4:3Q o'clock
and the crowd on hand consisted OF
the early delegation seeking choice
seats. The youngsters had romped
about the theater until close to start
ing time. Then the restless group
Buried Under Debris.
The crash and cries Of the fright
ened youngsters were heard two