Iroquois Theater Fire

The Iroquois Theater Fire in Chicago, Illinois, claimed 602 lives on December 30, 1903. It is currently the worst single-building fire in U.S. history.

Missing image
IroquoisTheater.jpg
The exterior of the theatre was only lightly damaged as indicated in this photo taken after the blaze was extinguished
The Iroquois Theater, at 24-28 W. Randolph St., was advertised as "absolutely fireproof." That day, over 1,900 people were in attendance at a matinee showing of the popular musical Mr. Blue Beard, Jr. At about 3:15 P.M., a light ignited a curtain. The firefighting equipment on hand was ineffective and the protective asbestos curtain failed to drop completely. Actors and dancers fled through a backstage door, and the influx of air fueled a huge fireball. Locked exits, doors that opened inward, and unfinished fire escapes prevented many people from escaping. However, of the 500 or so actors, dancers, stagehands, etc., only one died, a tightrope walker. Comedian Eddie Foy was hailed as a hero for attempting to calm the crowd.
Missing image
IroquoisTheater2.jpg
A horse-drawn ambulance is filled with the bodies of victims.

As a result of public outrage, many were charged with crimes, even Mayor Carter Harrison, Jr., but most charges were dismissed. The only person convicted was a tavern keeper charged with robbing the dead.

The exterior of the Iroquois was largely intact and reopened as the Colonial Theater, which was torn down in 1926 to make room for the Oriental Theater.

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