ABSTRACT
The play-house, built on the heath for the purpose of the camp, fell down during the presentation of Richard Coeur de Lion. The band played and the enthusiastic crowds watched with delight as blazes of Bengal fire and golden rain showered down. Mme Blanchard then entranced her audience by sending down a bomb of silver rain swinging from a parachute, and when a burst of flame appeared a moment later the spectators thought it all part of the fun. But it was the balloon itself that was on fire, the hydrogen with which it was filled having been ignited by the portfire used to light the fireworks. The balloon descended rapidly, with the intrepid Mme Blanchard hurling out ballast as it swept low over buildings. The failure of the building caused the death of thirty people and seriously injured one hundred and fifty people.
