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Absolutely Fireproof
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Dark HistoryMay 12, 2026

Absolutely Fireproof

Absolutely Fireproof Chicago, December 30, 1903. The Iroquois Theatre had opened just over a month earlier. Its ads called it 'absolutely fireproof.' A spotlight ignited a curtain during the matinee. Exit doors opened inward and many were locked. Around 602 people died, mostly women and children. It remains the deadliest single-building fire in US history.

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