The incredible story of how 602 people died in the worst. The iroquois theatre was at 2428 west randolph street. Chicago death trap the iroquois theatre fire of 1903 book. The complete story of the iroquois theater fire is available in several of troys book, including and hell follow with it.
Over 100 people died at the shiloh baptist church when someone misheard the word fight for fire and a mass panic caused a stampede. The fire occurred during a soldout performance of the musical mr. The iroquois theater fire of 1903 nearly 114 years ago, chicago experienced the worst theater fire in u. Iroquois theater tragedy on december 20, 1903 iroquois theater was the scene of a deadly fire that killed over 500 people and changed the way fire codes were maintained in theaters around the world. If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project andor contribute to the discussion. The theater, which had only been open one month, was considered to be architecturally excellent, and advertisements had declared it fireproof. The theatre filled to capacity, and beyond, as people packed the standing room areas and prepared for a good time. By the time firefighters arrived, the auditorium was. The iroquois theater disaster killed hundreds and changed fire safety forever the deadly conflagration ushered in a series of reforms that are still visible today. Iroquois theater fire almost forgotten, but continues to. This theater had opened in november 1903 and was located on west randolph street. This the 100th anniversary of one of worst manmade disasters of the 20t.
A century after the fire the deadliest in american history. A fire in the iroquois theater in chicago, illinois, kills more than 600 people on december 30, 1903. In the short span of twenty minutes, more than six hundred people, two thirds of whom were women and children, were asphyxiated, burned, or trampled to death in a panicked mobs failed attempt to escape. However, a day in history comments that at the same time the fire inspector and chicagos building commissioner claims that the iroquois was fireproof, the editor of fireproof magazine inspected the theater and wrote an article that there were major fire alarm issues including no alarm and sprinkler system. Great chicago theater disaster this book, published in 1904, is a contemporary perspective of the fire and its aftermath. Iroquois theatre fire is part of wikiproject fire service, which collaborates on fire servicerelated subjects on wikipedia. C this article has been rated as cclass on the projects quality scale. The brand new iroquois theater, advertised to be a fireproof, stood at 2428 west randolph. The conflagration killed at least 278 individuals, with some accounts reporting more than 300 dead. In the short span of twenty minutes, more than six hundred people were asphyxiated, burned, or trampled to death in a panicked mob s failed attempt to escape. Shouting fire at the iroquois theater had the same effect. But the iroquois fire, which was one of a series of major headlinemaking fires in the early 1900s, was a catalyst for systemic changes aimed at preventing another fire of similar magnitude.
The oriental theatre sits on the exact site of the iroquois. What started the blaze was a piece of the canvas brushed against a hot reflector behind a calcium arc spotlight. Best books to learn about the city and its history. Iroquois theater fire major american fires libguides at. Wednesday afternoon, december the thirtieth, nineteen hundred and three book. Digitized copy of a 1904 publication documenting the iroquois theatre fire from the digitized books from the university of illinois at urbanachampaign and the open content alliance. Iroquois theater fire centennial books by anthony hatchs tinderbox and nat brandt chicago death trap. It was the deadliest theater fire and the deadliest singlebuilding fire in united. The loop hidden away in a corner of the city hall lobby is a bronze basrelief tablet dedicated to the victims of the iroquois theater fire, which took place 1 years ago today. The iroquois theater in chicago was dubbed absolutely fireproof by the owners of the theater since it was a concrete structure, but it would become the tragic site of a deadly fire, just 37 days after it opened for business, during the busy thanksgiving and christmas holiday season of 1903. In the short span of twenty minutes, more than six hundred people, two thirds of whom were women and children, were asphyxiated, burned, or trampled to death in a panicked mobs failed attempt.
Unless theres vigilance and diligence, even things on the books can be. This book, published in 1904, is a contemporary perspective of the fire and its aftermath. I was again reminded of the critical nature of fire protection planning, prevention, and response when reading nat brandts 2003 book chicago death trap. The iroquois theatre fire of 1903 from the worlds largest community of readers. Iroquois theater fire 1903 major american fires massasoit. The italian hall disaster sometimes referred to as the 19 massacre was a tragedy that occurred on december 24, 19, in calumet, michigan. The theater, which had only been open one month, was considered to be architectually excellent, and advertisements had declared it fireproof. This book discusses fire in america, including the iroquois theatre. The incredible story of how 602 people died in the worst fire. The fire took place at the brooklyn theatre, near the corner of washington and johnson streets, with over a thousand guests attending.
The iroquois theater fire the eastland memorial society. Bluebeard, a musical comedy, to a standingroomonly crowd of over 1,900 people on december 30, 1903. The iroquois theatre fire of 1903, nat brandt provides a detailed chronicle of this horrific event to assess not only the titanic tragedy of the fire itself but also the municipal corruption and greed that kindled the flames beforehand and the political coverups hidden in the smoke and ash afterwards. The iroquois theatre fire of 1903, published by southern illinois university press. On the afternoon of december 30, 1903, during a soldout matinee performance, a fire broke out in chicago s iroquois theatre. Heres one mans account of that fateful day in 1903.
The iroquois theater fire occurred in chicago on december 30, 1903. Iroquois theater fire significant illinois fires libguides at. The iroquois theater fire paperback 1993 by louis guenzel author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The book is an outstanding account of the iroquois fire the author goes into the background of the theater, the cast of the play the origins of the fire and how the. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. The iroquois theatre fire happened on december 30, 1903, in chicago, illinois. Seventythree men, women, and children, mostly striking mine workers and their families, were crushed to death in a stampede when someone falsely shouted fire at a crowded christmas party. A 1910 programme from the colonial theatre, which the iroquois was renamed a year after the fire. Most notably, the theater had no fire alarm or sprinklers and the emergency smoke vents above the stage were nailed shut. An asbestos fire curtain was dropped on the stage, but was snagged on the way down and. The iroquois theatre fire of 1903 brandt, nat, duis, professor perry r, schallhorn, cathlyn on. The iroquois theater disaster killed hundreds and changed. Iroquois theater fire, chicago, illinois list of victims. Title iroquois theatre fire contributor names ehrhart, s.
The iroquois theatre fire alerted the country to the need for improved fire safety regulations in theaters. A fire in the iroquois theater in chicago, illinois, kills more than 600 people on this day in 1903. The complete story told by the survivors presenting a vivid picture, both by the pen and the camera, of one of the greatest fire horrors of modern times by marshall everett. Chicagos awful theater horror, by the survivors and rescuers. When the iroquois theatre opened in 1903, it was advertised as. Death alley is a regular stop on our weird chicago ghost tours of the city.
Wednesday afternoon, december the thirtieth, nineteen hundred and three john e traeger. Victims of the iroquois theatre fire on december 30, 1903, 602 people died in one of the worst fire disasters in american history, at the iroquois theatre in downtown chicago. Hatch grew up in chicago, and his father, a fireinsurance executive, owned a book published in 1904 to raise money for families of the victims. It is the deadliest theater fire and the deadliest singlebuilding fire in united states history. The iroquois theatre fire occurred on december 30, 1903, in chicago, illinois. The burning of the iroquois theater claimed the lives of over 600 patrons. The burning of the iroquois theater claimed the lives of over 600 patrons, a tragic number that even exceeds the estimated 250 lives lost in the chicago fire of 1871. Iroquois theater national fire protection association. Klinenberg talked about the chicago heat wave that killed over 700 people in one week during the summer of 1995. Iroquois theater fire major american fires libguides. I am obligated to both for providing the outline that helped point the way. Blocked fire exits and the lack of a firesafety plan caused most of the deaths.
Ruined stage of the iroquois theater after the fire, looking down from the. The victims were mostly women and children who were attending a matinee. The iroquois theatre fire of 1903, nat brandt provides a detailed chronicle of this horrific event to assess not only the titanic tragedy of the fire itself but also the municipal corruption and greed that kindled the flames beforehand and the political cover. One of the local stagehands gave me this book which kept me up all night reading it. Instantly, 1 knew there was something deadly wrong. The investigation showed that the fire was sparked by an arc light which ignited scenery curtains. The brooklyn theatre fire was a catastrophic theatre fire that broke out on the evening of december 5, 1876 in the city of brooklyn now a borough of new york city. Six weeks later, the iroquois theater was home to the deadliest fire in chicago history. Butfor those who were there, it was a horror they could never forget.
The pictures and testimonies in that book began hatchs deep interest in the fire. The iroquois theater disaster killed hundreds and changed fire. At least 605 people died as a result of the fire but not all the deaths were reported, as some of the bodies were removed from the scene. A slim book about the single worst fire in american history, when over six hundred people died in a 1903 show at chicagos extravagant, newlyopened iroquois theatre the show was a holiday matinee, ensuring that most of the dead were women and children the book includes a section of portrait photographs of some of the children who died in the fire, a touch thats both ghoulish and gutting. The iroquois, of course, remains the worst theater fire in american history. It was the deadliest theater fire and the deadliest singlebuilding fire in united states history, resulting in at least 602 deaths. On the afternoon of december 30, 1903, during a soldout matinee performance, a fire broke out in chicagos iroquois theatre. The iroquois theater fire in downtown chicago was one of the worst disasters in the history of the city. Over 600 people died in the calamity, which was about twice as many as had died in the great chicago fire of 1871, which killed around 300 people but left approximately 300,000 people homeless. The school fires and the theater fires and the opera house fires those. Video from wttw chicago tonight tells the story of the iroquois theatre fire disaster on december 30, 1903. The iroquois theatre was at 2428 west randolph street, between state street and dearborn street, in chicago. Iroquois theater fire, chicago, illinois book chicago.
1619 914 255 1574 860 240 998 43 1626 104 703 1588 1606 1210 4 24 1048 205 20 201 59 901 34 656 618 575 757 766 748 1430