Plaza Ballroom

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Plaza Theatre 191 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC – Burnt Out* – 29 April 1945

THEATRE IN CITY BURN OUT – The Argus Newspaper Melbourne, Vic – Mon 30 Apr 1945

The Regent picture theatre, Collins Street, Melbourne, was burnt out early on Sunday by a spectacular fire, which caused damage estimated at more than £400,00. The underground Plaza picture theatre, directly below the Regent, was flooded to a depth of nearly 4 feet, when a 3 inch main burst while the fire was at its height. Some of the girders crashed through the floor to the stage of the Plaza Theatre. It is believed they burst the water main in the theatre. The cause is a mystery. It is thought it may have been a cigarette butt or lighted match carelessly discarded, although smoking in the theatre was strictly forbidden.

Smelt something burning ?

William Cherry, night watch-man and cleaner at the theatre, said that as he walked from the Plaza to his office near the stage door of the Regent he smelt something burning. He went into the front stalls and saw the dress-circle was ablaze near the bio-box. Cherry broke two alarms in the theatre and there was a general turnout of city brigades with full fire-fighting appliances – Contributed by Greg Lynch –