Rhoads Opera House fire

Rhoads Opera House fire
Building on site of Rhoads Opera House at South Washington Street and East Philadelphia Avenue in Boyertown
DateJanuary 13, 1908 (1908-01-13)
VenueRhoads Opera House
LocationBoyertown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates40°19′54″N 75°38′07″W / 40.3318°N 75.6353°W / 40.3318; -75.6353
TypeFire
CauseKnocked over kerosene lamp
Deaths171

On January 13, 1908, the Rhoads Opera House in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, caught fire during a stage play sponsored by nearby St. John's Lutheran Church. Of the approximately 400 men, women, and children either in attendance or associated with the performance of the play, 171 were killed.