 Contemporary illustration of the fire | |
| Date | 5 September 1887 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Theatre Royal, Exeter, England |
| Coordinates | 50°43′35″N 3°31′39″W / 50.7264°N 3.5274°W |
| Also known as |
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| Cause | Design failures by architect |
| Deaths | 186 |
| Non-fatal injuries | Dozens |
| Property damage | Building destroyed |
| Inquest |
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| Verdict | Accidental death |
On 5 September 1887, a fire broke out in the backstage area of the Theatre Royal in Exeter, England, during the production of The Romany Rye. The fire caused panic throughout the theatre, with 186 people dying from a combination of the direct effects of smoke and flame, crushing and trampling, and trauma injuries from falling or jumping from the roof and balconies.
The death toll makes it the worst theatre disaster, the worst single-building fire, and the third worst fire-related disaster in UK history.
Most of the dead were in the gallery of the theatre, which had only a single exit with several design flaws, and quickly became clogged with people trying to escape.