Can we finally kill the meme about shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theatre?

[intaglio]

97. Actual panics and perhaps apologies to OWH

There are 2 cases which might have informed the trope used by the USSC

The Royal Surrey Gardens tragedy of 1856 and the Italian Gardens Disaster of 1913. In both it was claimed that the panic was started by some unknown person shouting fire. The crush that killed in both cases was facilitated by the terrible exits.

About the Royal Surrey Gardens incident. It seems there were over 10,000 people within the hall and probably the same number outside trying to get in. Although the cry of fire may have been used most of the panic seemed to be about the cry "the balconies are giving way," This was not the case though people did fall from the balcony so that might have been the stimulus. As with the Italian Gardens disaster deaths were actually caused by crushes on the stairs and at the exits which were blocked by people trying to get in. There were 7 dead and 28 seriously injured enough to let themselves be taken to hospital.

Italian Gardens was a terrible thing. A party at the upstairs room of this hall in Calumet had over 400 attendees. There was an unsignposted fire escape and ladders outside the windows on the back wall which were not visible. 20 of the surviving 300 or so said they heard a man shouting fire and the crowd tried to escape but only the very narrow front stairs were used. 73 died including 59 children. There is a Woody Guthrie song about it.