The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1881-03-26 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE BURNING OF THE OPERA HOUSE AT NICE.  APPALLING LOSS OF LIFE.  TERRIBLE SCENES.  [REUTER'S TELLGR,AMS.] Nicx, Thursa iy, T;,e firy lit the Opera 114 use last night, was mrtch tn-re fatal Juin at first supposed. Fifty nine bodies were taken out oi th, ruins at t!,ree o'clock this morning, and it is feared that u,any more are dead inside. iWhen the gas exploded, shor ly after the outbreak of tie fire, the theatr WAS instant ineously plunged into complete darkly-3-, and a frightful scene of terror and dirress ersuPd. A del:eliay-..nt of s.tilov, with ships' pumps tro:u the squAron in harbour, arrived shortly on thy scene, and displayed great gallantry in saving many of the people in ihe theatre. 't he tire was got under towards ten o'clock.  _ Thu -persons who had taken the orchestra stalls and the boxes on the grand tier had no genei ally arrived when the fire broke out. Many of the vietims of the c .tastrophe belong to the working cia„, and a I..ubscription has been opened for the relief of their families. One who:e family of five persons nod another of three persons perished. Signora 'Bianca Conadio, one of the principal arti-tes taking part in the evening's performance, succeed. d i.; escaping from the stage througn he darknts,i in her theate.cal costutne. The Impresario Strakot•ch was lightly hurt. Subscriptions for the sufferers ~ave been opened all over Nice.  The reptta has been countermanded, and the value of the prizes ct stifled for the successful competitors will be sent to the fund now being collected.  nen, Thunday Afternoon, Sixty-three bodies have been extricat,A from the ruins of the Opera Rouse, chiefly of Italian artisans.  Last evening during the performanoe of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Opera House, Nice, the gas at the back of the stage suddenly exploded, setting tire to the scenery. The flames spread with alarming rap, idity and attacking the meter the house WAS soon plunged in darkness, adding to the confusion among the crowd, who were pressing madly towards the Jimiteo means of exit. Ti:e audn nee was a large one, and the crush proportionately great In the panic which prevailed hundreds wcre thrown down and trodden underf ot, and those who endeavoured to extricate the p-ople hopelei-sly jammed in the doorways and t assages described the scene as something few ful— the shri:l6 el the i 4 cunded mingling with the cries of those in ti.e upper galleries, whose every means of escape was cut ft. Madame Donalio, he prima donna, was saved, bui, the teno:, bass, and baritone, with a numbi r of th.- cor .a tdoge, s, are among t .e v,ctims. Up to midnigh over 150 bodies iad been extricated from the ruins.  A. man who @caped from the upper gallery by jumping over into the pace below declare, that with perhai,s ad zn exceptions all those in is part of of the house 'Dust base been laticut to dea,h. Some sailors fro'', tt e fleet and teveral E,,glisti residents rendered signal service in sating. The sensation in the town Was indes2ribable. One lady whose hubband was burnt committ, d suicide, and people were to be met with wandering about the streets crying, wringing their lic.nds, and tearing their hair..  T:.e-usual complaints are being made respecting alieg,d defective means of exic, and inadequate water suiply.