Human consequences
125 deaths, including 118 women, among them the Duchess of Alençon, sister of Empress Sisi. Many unrecognisable bodies are identified by their teeth: the tragedy marks the birth of forensic odontology.
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Fire & heatwaveBazar de la Charité fire
125Deaths
Not quantifiedDisplaced / homeless
Not quantifiedEstimated cost
- The most commonly cited toll: 125 deaths, including 118 women; some sources count 126 victims.
At a charity sale held by Parisian high society, the ether lamp of a cinematograph, then a brand-new invention, sets fire to a set made of wood, canvas and cardboard. Within a quarter of an hour, the hall packed with about a thousand people is engulfed in flames.
Consequences
Environmental consequences
The damage is confined to the temporary hall, built of highly flammable materials with far too few exits, which burns almost completely.
Economic consequences
The cinematograph, blamed for the disaster, sees its reputation tarnished; screenings gradually move from fairgrounds to dedicated theatres.
Political consequences
The tragedy speeds up fire safety rules for public venues: emergency exits, materials, evacuation. The Notre-Dame-de-Consolation chapel is opened on the site in 1900.
Further reading
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In the rankings : The worst disasters in France No. 6
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