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FIRE IN MOVING PICTURE THEATRE
[Welland Telegraph, 21 January 1908]
A fire which broke out shortly after three o’clock Wednesday afternoon, caused by the explosion of a film used in a moving picture machine, gutted the Hippodrome moving picture theatre in St. Catharines, and did damage to adjacent business places. Special attractions had been on in the theatre in the shape of Ben Hur moving pictures, and at the time of the explosion about fifty persons were in the building, which has but two small exits. The lights at once went out, and a panic followed, and the audience made a mad rush for the doors. A number of women and children were knocked off their feet, and more or less severely trampled upon. Lorne McDermott, the operator, aged fifteen years, was severely injured. He was in the enclosure and died on Friday morning from his injuries. He was in the enclosure above the floor, and could not easily escape. His face, neck and hands were frightfully burned, and when help arrived he was taken to the home of Mrs. Marie close by, and Dr. Mulock dressed the wounds and accompanied the lad to the General and Marine Hospital. The flames spread through the theatre, and to McDermott’s store, the former being gutted and the latter badly damaged. A.J. Gilmore’s sporting goods store was also considerably damaged by fire, water and smoke. The Star-Journal office suffered to some extent from water. The work of the firemen prevented further spread of the flames, and after two hours’ work they extinguished the fire. The loss will be several thousand dollars, a fair portion being covered by insurance. The Hippodrome is owned and managed by Mrs. Hastings of Buffalo.
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