In order to aid members of the Shanghai Municipal Fire Brigade, who were being hampered by a large crowd of Chinese, during a fire which destroyed the' Wusih: Theatre near the corner of Kiaochow and Robison Roads at 3 yesterday, a detachment of Italian Marines turned out from their barracks in the neighbourhood and maintained order while the fire-fighters were attacking the flames.
Seven Chinese houses were badly Wamaged during the blaze, which Qccurred in "Ta Tao" territory, and one Chinese woman was injured when fell down a staircase in an pt to reach safety from her home which had caught alight.
Owing to the position of the theatre and the houses, many hundreds of yards of hose had to be laid from hydrants on Muncipal Roads through various Chinese squatter huts and this considerably hampering the work of the firemen.
engines from the Ichang Roads and Bubbling Well Stations attended the blaze, which was brought under control after 35 minutes' work. They were not able to leave, however, until two hours later when all danger had passed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.