1912 - Fire at the Movies

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12702, 4 March 1912, Page 7

FIRE AT DEVONPORT.

PICTURE THEATRE SENSATION

OPERATING ROOM DESTROYED

A fire broke out m the operating-room of the Queen's Pictures which are shown m the Parish Hall, Church street, Devonport, during the currency of an entertainment on Friday evening, by which damage to the estimated extent of £200 was done. There were fully 200 people in the hall at the time. At 9.20 the audience became aware that all was not right, the fire which had started in the operating-room being reflected on the sheet, while from' outside came indications of fire in close proximity. There was no outcry or panic, those present leaving the building in a very orderly manner. The fire had a firm hold, and the wisdom of fireproof rooms for cinematograph machinery was evident. In the case of the Parish Hall, a new brick building, the operating-room is situated in a galvanised iron lean-to erected over the porch, and this was soon a blazing mass.

The Devonport Fire Brigade, under Captain Miller, was quickly on the scene, but delay ; in getting the water on was caused by the inability to find the fire plugs, the borough officials, having neglected to erect guiding mark's on the neighboring buildings or fences. Sufficient time was lost for the fire to gain a good hold, but in this case the flames blazed impotently on brick walls, and when the water was finally turned on the outbreak was suppressed in about 15 minutes. The proprietor of the Queen's Pictures and lessee of the Parish Hall is a blind man, Mr J. Bacovich. He estimates his loss at about £200, his machinery and plant not being covered by insurance. He lost a fine Gaumont machine which cost £80, 3000 ft. of film, lenses and other accessories. The Parish Hall, which was recently erected at a Cost of over £2000, is fully covered by insurance in the South British office, both on the building and on the furniture. It is the property of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. The building is only slightly damaged, a scorching on the outside of the front and a wetting inside being the extent.

The operator stated that the fire was caused through the film accidentally igniting after the machine had stopped. The inflammable material of which the films are composed burst with a blaze, and the room was quickly a raging inferno, from which he was glad to escape and descend to the ground without injury.