A devastating fire at one of Chicago’s prominent theaters turned even more dangerous when part of the burning roof collapsed beneath the firefighters trying to save the building.
Shortly after 1 a.m. on October 13, 1880, flames broke out inside the Academy of Music on Halsted Street near Madison. The fire reportedly began among the stage flies, the overhead space used for scenery and theatrical equipment, before racing through the scenery and into the roof with remarkable speed. Within a short time, the interior of the theater was destroyed, although the outer walls remained standing.
The greatest danger came little more than 10 minutes after the fire began.
A section of the roof suddenly gave way while several firefighters were standing on it. Men plunged into the burning structure below as others desperately clung to portions of the building that had not yet collapsed. Fire Marshal Williams emerged bloodied but without serious injuries, while several other firefighters suffered burns, broken bones, and internal injuries.
Assistant Fire Marshal Petere survived an especially terrifying fall. After the roof collapsed beneath him, he managed to cling to part of a wall. That section then gave way as well, sending him all the way to the bottom of the building and leaving him with a broken leg and additional injuries.
Remarkably, three firefighters who also fell to the bottom escaped without injury.
The destruction was particularly significant because the Academy of Music had already been destroyed once before. After Chicago’s Great Fire of 1871, the theater had served as one of the city’s leading entertainment venues while other theaters were being rebuilt. By 1880, flames had claimed its interior yet again.
Death In The Flames
CHICAGO. — At one o’clock this forenoon fire broke out in the Academy of Music, a beautiful West Side theatre on Halstead Street, near Madison, and before the flames could be controlled the entire interior of the building was destroyed, leaving the walls standing.
When the fire had been burning a little more than 10 minutes, a crash was heard and a portion of the roof on which were a number of firemen, fell in, causing terrible consternation.
It was some minutes before the extent of the disaster was known, and then the work of rescuing the unfortunate men began.
It was found that some had saved themselves by climbing to a portion which had not fallen. Fire Marshall Williams was helped out of the main entrance, staggering and bloody, but was without serious injury.
Theo Bumbardt, fireman, was taken out badly burned and with internal injuries, which is believed fatal. C.W. Danker, of the hook and ladder company, and Lieutenant Palmer are badly injured about the lower limbs.
John Nichols received severe, but not fatal injuries. Assistant fire marshal Petere was on a roof when it fell and clung to a portion of the wall, but it gave way and he fell, with others, clear to the bottom, breaking his right leg and receiving other injuries.
Three men, named Anderson, Daly, and Heilman, of a hook and ladder company, fell to the bottom unhurt.
The fire originated among the flies back of the stage and spread to the scenery and roof with incredible rapidity. The loss is not yet known, but heavy.
This theatre was destroyed about three years ago, having been the leading place of amusement in this city after the great fire until the south side theatres were rebuilt.
Source: Knoxville Daily Chronicle. Knoxville, Tenn. October 13, 1880.
