| Citation |
BPB.772.024
24 Aug 1772:41 (783)
London, June 5. All the letters from Amsterdam are filled
with accounts of the fire that consumed the Dutch playhouse
on Monday night. It is almost impossible to give a just
picture of the desolation into which many families are
plunged by this terrible accident. The numbers of people
who crowded the next morning about the door of the playhouse
is incredible; persons of all ranks and ages came to seek
after the unfortunate remains of their relations or friends
who perished in the flames, or were trampelled to death by
the crowd. The fire caught one of the wings of a flat
scene, and rapidly ascending towards the top of the
building, there was not time to stop the progress of the
flames, which instantly consumed the ropes that sustained
the branches containing the lights, the fall of which
augmented the fire, and increased the confusion and
disorder. Part of the spectators who were in the
galleries, being unable to save themselves by the stair-
case, threw themselves into the pit, and were bruised to
death, or killed those on whom they fell. At length, to
complete the misfortune, the roof of the building fell in,
before those who were in the hall could get out. The
confusion was not less out of the house; for,
notwithstanding the zeal and vigilance of the magistrates
and burghers, they could not make the great number of
coaches which were near the principal door, remove time
enough to bring up the engines, which could not play till
the whole edifice was on fire; then by the most incredible
efforts the progress of the flames was happily stopt, which
had communicated to the adjoining houses. We cannot yet
tell the exact number of persons who lost their lives by
this deplorable accident; some say 150, others 200.
[continues describing looting during the fire.]
|