VIDEO: 114 years ago, Pennsylvania experienced one of its worst tragedies.
"Every fire will change the lives of the people, who they are related to, people that knew them," said Luann Zambanini with the Boyertown Area Historical Society.
On Sunday, the Boyertown Area Historical Society commemorated a fatal fire that happened at the Rhoads Opera House in 1908. That fire left 170 play-goers dead. The play was about the Scottish Reformation and would be watched by 340 playgoers that cold January night.
Audience members started hearing a hissing noise, and that's when things took a turn. While investigating the sound, someone backstage pulled the curtain back and hit a kerosene foot lamp, which set the curtain on fire. That's when the deadly explosion erupted.