Barnsley Public Hall Disaster

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Barnsley Public Hall Disaster took place on Saturday, January 11, 1908 in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. It resulted in the deaths of sixteen children . The children were entering the Public Hall to see a show when someone in the hall shouted 'FIRE!'. In their hurry to get out there was a stampede. Some of the children running from the supposed fire fell as they met others still climbing the narrow stairway to the gallery. Panic ensued and, in the crush, sixteen children (the oldest of whom was nine) were crushed to death or died from compressive asphyxia. The survivors were taken to Beckett Hospital. In fact, there had been no fire at all.

[edit] See also

• Italian Hall disaster