Forgotten Flames: The Iroquois Theatre Fire and the Crime of Negligence

Unearthing history’s buried disasters—where neglect, not malice, claimed hundreds of lives in 1903 Chicago.

Delve into the tragic and overlooked story of the Iroquois Theatre Fire, a devastating disaster born of negligence that claimed hundreds of lives in 1903. Through the perspective of an archivist uncovering long-buried evidence, this episode reveals how safety oversights and corporate irresponsibility led to one of America's deadliest theatre fires, offering crucial lessons on accountability and the importance of safety regulations that remain relevant today.