Game 02 - Paradise Lost

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Game Run Christmas 2002

Paradise Lost Theatre
PARADISE LOST - METRO ARTS UP IN FLAMES

    Last night a fireball swept through The Paradise Theatre on Mulholland
Drive during the re-opening ceremony in it's new role as permanent home to
The Metro Arts Society. As the event was starting the alarm was raised that
there was a leak of a highly flammable liquid in the basement. Shortly after
the evacuation of the audience, which included several civic dignitaries and
notables from the arts and business communities, a loud explosion rocked the
district. Fire crews battled through the night to prevent the fire from
spreading to adjacent properties.
    Sara Landry (49), founder of Metro Arts said, "We're all obviously
devastated by this but grateful that we were able to evacuate everyone. 20
years work with Metro Arts cannot be undone in one night and we will come
back from this all the stronger." The group are now seeking a new venue for
their project.
    Previous owner Richard Jacobs (71) stockbroker, was quoted as saying,
"It's a tragedy. It has been a dream since childhood to bring Paradise back
and to have that dream destroyed at it's fulfilment is a great shock. To
quote Milton. "Yet from those flames, No light, but rather darkness
visible.""(PL Bk1 Ln62)
    A similar sombre tone was set by the Rev Philip Mc Bride who was injured
during the emergency. "Farewell happy fields, Where joy forever dwells:
hail, horrors!"(PL Bk1 Ln249)
    Tragically in the early hours a body was found in the wreckage. He has
been named as Robert Grant (22) an electrician at Boston General Hospital
and volunteer at The Paradise. It appears that he was trapped in the
projection booth. An inquest will be opened on Wednesday. The Fire service
has also begun an investigation into the blaze and have asked for witnesses
to come forward.

Excerpts from the official Police and Fire Department reports into The
Paradise Theatre fire.

1. A terrible mistake in the plans led to the fuel tank for the new heating
system being connected to the water system instead. The fuel tank should
have been empty though as the installation was not complete. A clerical
error at the suppliers led to early delivery and of a much more volatile
product than is normally used for heating systems.

2. The paint being used in the renovations was HIGHLY flammable and it is
recommended that the product is banned immediately.

3. There was a very high Alkaloid content in the paint and furnishings. The
smoke fumes from this would have rapidly led to confusion, hallucination and
death. Source of the Alkaloids has not been identified but it is present in
the unused paints but not in the manufacturers product.



Reference research :-
ALKALOID
      any of a class of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen,
nitrogen, and usually oxygen that are often derived from plants. Although
the name means alkalilike, some alkaloids do not exhibit alkaline
properties. Many alkaloids, though poisons, have physiological effects that
render them valuable as medicines. For example, curarine, found in the
deadly extract curare , is a powerful muscle relaxant; atropine is used to
dilate the pupils of the eyes; and physostigmine is a specific for certain
muscular diseases. Narcotic alkaloids used in medicine include morphine and
codeine for the relief of pain and cocaine as a local anesthetic. Other
common alkaloids include quinine , caffeine , nicotine , strychnine ,
serotonin , and LSD . Aconitine is the alkaloid of aconite . Cinchonine and
quinine are derived from cinchona , coniine is found in poison hemlock , and
reserpine is an extract of rauwolfia roots.