Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-23-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

— 26 AP. “Fire in Movie Theater Takes Terrible Toll.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 5-12-1916, p. 1.

— 26 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. “Loss of Life in Panics and Disastrous Fires.” 1917, p495.

— 26 The News, Frederick, MD. “Theatre Burns: 26 Perish.” May 12, 1916, p. 1.

— 25 Decatur Daily Review, IL. “Theater Death Toll in Past Disasters…,” Jan 30, 1922, p. 1.

—>23 Firefighter Nation. “May 1916 Fires.: 5-1-2016.

— 1 man

–>22 women and children

—>23 Oakland Tribune, CA. “Twenty-Three Die in Theater Fire. Gasoline Tank…” 5-11-1916.

— 22 National Fire Protection Assoc. “Loss of Life in Theatre Fires.” Quarterly, 24/1, July, 1930.

— 13 Insurance Press. “Killed and Injured in Fires in 1916.” Jan 3, 1917, p. 14.

— 13 Keowee Courier, Pickens, SC. “Negro Movie Theatre Burns.” 5-17-1916, p. 3.

— 13 Safety Engineering. “Killed and Injured in Fires in 1916,” V. 32, No. 6, Dec, 1916, p.322.

— 13 Washington Post. “13 Perish in Fire Panic.” May 11, 1916, p. 3.

Narrative Information

Firefighter Nation. “May 1916 Fires.: 5-1-2016: “May 10, 1916: Wallaceton, Virginia: As a large group of women and children watched moving pictures, a gasoline tank supplying fuel to a generator inside a frame building exploded. The devastating blast ignited a fire that burned out of control, trapping many inside. One man and at least 22 women and children were burned to death, as the flaming roof collapsed. Scores of others were burned by the flames or injured by the frantic stampede of people trying to escape. The only doctor available was rushed to the scene but quickly exhausted his medical supplies. Private automobiles rushed many of the injured to the nearest hospital in Portsmouth, 12 miles away.

National Fire Protection Assoc. “Loss of Life in Theatre Fires.” Quarterly, 24/1, July, 1930:

“May 10, 1916. Wallacetown, Va. 22 killed.”

Newspapers

May 10, Keowee Courier, SC: “Norfolk, Va., May 10. – Negro employees of the Norva Land and Lumber Company to-night crowded a hall at Wallaceton, Va., for a motion picture show. The lights were supplied from a gasoline tank. There was an explosion; fire, which destroyed the building, followed, and at 1 o’clock this morning 13 bodies had been taken from the ruins. Between 25 and 30 seriously burned negroes were taken in automobiles and wagons to Portsmouth for treatment.

“The building destroyed was a frame structure, formerly used as a store. It had been turned over to the lumber company’s employees for their entertainments and lodge meetings, and to-night’s picture show packed the place. The discovery of the fire and explosion came almost at the same time. In the stampede that followed many were trampled underfoot. The building burned like tinder. In a few minutes it was a sheet of flames. Before the blocked exits could be cleared, the roof collapsed. Those pinned inside were helpless.

“There was only one physician within several miles of the place. He exhausted all available medical supplies in a few minutes, dressing the most seriously burned victims. Meantime, he had pressed into service all available automobiles and had telephoned to Portsmouth for assistance.” (Keowee Courier, Pickens, SC. “Negro Movie Theatre Burns. Spectators Trapped – Thirteen Bodies Taken from Ruins of Building.” 5-17-1916, p. 3.)

May 11, Washington Post: “Norfolk, Va., May 11 (Thursday). — Colored employes of the Norva Land and Lumber Company last night crowded a hall at Wallaceton, Va., for a motion picture show. The lights were supplied from a gasoline tank. There was an explosion; fire, which destroyed the building, followed, and at 1 o’clock this morning thirteen bodies had been taken from the ruins. About 30 seriously burned persons were taken in automobiles and wagons to Portsmouth for treatment.

“The building destroyed was a frame structure, formerly used as a store. It had been turned over to the lumber company’s employes for their entertainment and lodge meetings, and last night’s picture show packed the place.

“The discovery of the fire and explosion came almost at the same time. In the stampede that followed many were trampled underfoot. The building burned like tinder. In a few minutes it was a sheet of flames. Before the blocked exits could be cleared the roof collapsed. Those pinned inside were helpless.

“Wallaceton it a small settlement on the Dismal Swamp Canal, 12 miles from Norfolk.” (Washington Post. “13 Perish in Fire Panic.” May 11, 1916, p. 3.)

May 12: “Norfolk, Va., May 12. — Twenty-six negroes, all women and children except one, perished in a fire which destroyed a motion picture theatre after a gasoline explosion at Wallaceton, a hamlet on Dismal Swamp canal, twelve miles from Norfolk.

“Some of the children were trampled to death in the rush to escape. Twenty persons were injured, some seriously….The roof fell in before the exits, blocked by the surging crowd could be cleared….” (The News, Frederick, MD. “Theatre Burns: 26 Perish.” May 12, 1916, p. 1.)

May 12, AP: “(Associated Press by Federal Wireless). Norfolk, Va., May 12. – Twenty-six negro women and children perished in a moving picture theater fire at Wallacetown, Va., yesterday afternoon. The film exploded and the blaze trapped the spectators before they could escape. Many of the dead are believed to have been trampled to death in the panic that followed the explosion. The authorities have ordered an investigation.” (Associated Press. “Fire in Movie Theater Takes Terrible Toll.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, HI, 5-12-1916, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Fire in Movie Theater Takes Terrible Toll.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, HI, 5-12-1916, p. 1. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82014682/1916-05-12/ed-2/?sp=9&st=text&r=0.279,1.025,0.235,0.196,0

Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac 1917. “Loss of Life in Panics and Disastrous Fires.” 1917, 495. Google Digitized. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=YhMXAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Decatur Daily Review, IL. “Theater Death Toll in Past Disasters Shows Heavy Totals,” 1-30- 1922, p.1. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/decatur-review-jan-30-1922-p-1/

Firefighter Nation. “May 1916 Fires.: 5-1-2016. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: https://www.firefighternation.com/firerescue/may-1916-fires/

Insurance Press. “Killed and Injured in Fires in 1916.” New York City, 1-3-1917, p. 14. Google digitized. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=PmFJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Keowee Courier, Pickens, SC. “Negro Movie Theatre Burns.” 5-17-1916, p. 3. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: https://www.newspapers.com/article/keowee-courier-sawyerwallaceton-va/23409435/

Oakland Tribune, CA. “Twenty-Three Die in Theater Fire. Gasoline Tank Explodes in Movie House.” 5-11-1916, p. 16, col. 1. Accessed 1-23-2025 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune-may-11-1916-p-16/

Safety Engineering. Vol. 32, No’s. 1-6, July-December, 1916. New York: The Safety Press, Inc., 1916. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=meMMAAAAYAAJ&printsec=titlepage

The News, Frederick, MD. “Theatre Burns: 26 Perish.” 5-12-1916, p. 1. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/news-may-12-1916-p-1/

Washington Post, DC. “13 Perish in Fire Panic.” 5-11-1916, p. 3. Accessed 1-23-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/washington-post-may-11-1916-p-3/

1916 — May 10, Explosion, Fire, Trampling, Theater, Wallaceton (~Norfolk), VA –23-26