Devastating Fire in Chicago's Iroquois Theater

On December 30, 1903, a fire broke out in Chicago's Iroquois Theater, which had only been open for five weeks. The theater, touted as fireproof, was packed with an audience of mostly women and children. As the fire spread, panic ensued, and the lack of proper fire safety measures exacerbated the tragedy. Many exits were locked or obscured, and the absence of emergency lights made it difficult for people to find their way out. In the end, 575 people died, making it the deadliest theater fire in U.S. history. The incident prompted investigations and exposed numerous safety violations.