The Chandelier Accident at Palais Garnier

I made a translation today, of the most complete article about the event happened back in 1896 at Paris Opera House, which is from Le Figaro, a Parisian newspaper. I merely translated it and the whole article is copyrighted to Le Figaro, I guess. Also credits goes to M. Georges Grison, the journalist of the article, and the website where I found it: http://www.gallica.bnf.fr

this image is from www.operadeparis.fr

Paris, 21st May 1896
A terrible accident occurred yesterday evening, at the Opera, in the representation of Helle. It was exactly 8.30 pm when the first act came to end. Mme. Caron was singing an encore when a tremendous noise was heard. At the same time, a bright light appeared, then, as quick as a flash, a cloud of dust rising from the top of the room until the bottom. Initially, the explosion was believed to be some anarchist attack. Spectators rushed to the exit door. But with admirable calmness, Delmas, Mme. Caron and the choirs who were on the scene, remained in their positions, calmed and reassured the public. They succeeded to calm the spectators on the ground floor and first two floors. But, above, at fourth amphitheater which was nearest to the explosion, the panic was more considerable. The spectators were even rushing, trying to climb over the railing to jump into the auditorium. Police officers of the 9th Arrondissement no 158, municipal guards Brigadier Grimaldi, two guards, Levesque and Durand, and the caretaker of the auditorium, M. Vallerand, prevented them and guide them to the exit door. Thanks to them no new accident happened. Meanwhile, M. Lapissida, stage manager of the Opera, had withdrawn the personnel from the stage. And after that, he said to public that they had nothing to fear, then he brought down the curtain. The evacuation took no more than two or three minutes, after that the wounded were taken care of – because there were some people who were injured. First we found out that five or six people complained for bruises and severe concussion only. They could leave the hall by themselves to receive medical treatment. We began to hope that the accident didn’t have too serious consequences, when a cry attracted the attention of one of municipal guards. He retraced his steps and found a woman under a box girder. It was Mme. Senot, grocer, who lived at Rue de l’Arcade no 12. She had been injured in the leg and the right eye from the breaking of the girder, in which she was trapped under. At the same time, a young girl, her face all covered with blood, began crying for his mother, she said her mother was under the rubbles. In searching, we saw a pit on the floor of the gallery made by blocks of cast iron, and under it, a horribly mutilated corpse of a woman of a certain age. It was the mother of the girl, Mme. Chomette, aged fifty-six, a concierge, who lived at Rue Rochechouart no 7, at the corner of Briare no 12. While officers were searching around to see if there were any other bodies, it was discovered that fire was beginning to occur in the roof. The firemen from Rue Blanche soon overcome the fire that went on. Until now, no one knew what had happened and from where came the accident. By removing the body of Mrs. Chomette … realized that the accident involved *MISSING* one of the counterweights of *MISSING (probably ‘chandelier’)* in the central hall which was supported by eight strings of wires, each attached to counterweights’ end. A counterweight is weighing about 700 pounds. Each counterweight has enormous weight, so that in case of failure of one or more counterweights, the connection remains strong. Now it seems that a wire slipped into a kind of hose, which they called “fireplace” in theater idiom, it’s a cable used to electric lighting. A short circuit probably occurred, and fire came from the electrical cable caught fire which melted the wire that held the counterweight. The huge mass, tumbled into the “chimney” first, then the ceiling, then to the fifth floor of the gallery at one point, and at last unfortunately crushed seats 11 and 13 of fourth gallery occupied by Mme. Chomette and her daughter. It even demolished the parquet before it stopped. It is also the fall of the counterweight that pulled the circuit breaker, and caused the outbreak of fire. Mme. Chomette had her whole skull broken, both hands and right leg were torn. Her body was carried on a stretcher by municipal guards precedes the janitor with his lantern to the back of the Opera, where an ambulance waited, the city has come to take the driver’s domicile. Her daughter, who is employed in a broth, was wounded in the face, but her condition is not serious. Sitting beside these two ladies, on the chairs numbers 7 and 9, were M. William Murvoy and one of his friends. Mr. Murvoy has received a severe electric shock and was evanour. He complained of severe pain in his right leg to his friend but he had disappeared. The news of this accident and the arrival of firemen, had produced a great addition to public emotion. The public were exaggerating the seriousness and numerous people besieged the outskirts of the Opera. We had to keep M. Nadeaud, peace officer of the district, to settle with it. The crowd was dissipated after an hour, when it was learned that the accident was less severe and certainly more “common” than previously thought. M. Lepine, Head of the Police, accompanied by Mr Gaillot, director of the municipal police, arrived at half past nine. M. Lepine had received the facts from Mr. Martin, Commissioner of Police Service. He himself examined the place where the accident occurred to verify the causes. In his order, M. Martin visited the location at eleven o’clock in the evening with M. Atthalin, the country attorney, to acquaint the event that had taken place. In regards of the legal procedure, which should be made, M. Girard, head of the Municipal Laboratory, has come to have a technical examination. The investigation was not yet finished at midnight, when we left the Opera. A new details tomorrow, if necessary.

This very accident was the one which inspired M. Gaston Leroux to write his novel, Le Fantome de l’Opera. My favourite This translation is still rough (Google Translate isn’t very good at translating whole article like this). Even though I’ve edited it, my French is very limited, unfortunately.

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