A fire in the Iroquois Theater in 1903 in Chicago, Illinois, killed 600 people on that fateful day. When it was built in November 1903, George Williams, who was the Chief Fire Inspector, took one look at the building and decided that it was "fireproof beyond all doubt." However, an article in Chicago's "Fireproof" noted that the theater was built with wood trim and had no fire system at all installed, either to prevent or protect against. Despite this, people would regularly visit the theater.
When the fire broke out backstage, the actors were the first to notice. They fled the stage, attempting to leave through the back exit. Unfortunately, the rush of fresh oxygen led the fire to grow larger and more powerful, making it difficult to contain. An "asbestos" curtain was lowered, but when it wouldn't go all the way down, the patrons panicked and tried to rush for the exits.
27 out of the 30 exits were locked, making it difficult for anyone to escape. When the lights of the theater went out, many people couldn't find any exits, resulting in death by smoke inhalation and being trampled to death by stampeding patrons.
Picture of the Iroquois Theater:
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