Extracts from the
# THE DISASTROUS COLLAPSE OF HOUSES.
On Wednesday night at about 10.45, as we have already reported, the residents in the vicinity of Cochrane Street were startled by a deafening crash. The cause of this proved to be the collapse of houses No. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street, and the falling in of the front of No. 30. The two houses which collapsed fell forward, and in their fall damaged the buildings opposite, smashing the verandahs, etc.
Immediately a crowd gathered and the scene following until the arrival of the police was indescribable. Besides the usual mob of the merely curious, there were numerous relatives of the residents or boarders—one of the houses having been an eating-house—who were supposed to be buried beneath the ruins. The shrieks and groans of the unfortunate people beneath the debris mingled with the wails of the relatives standing outside and the shouts of the onlookers. Immediately after the collapse, flames burst from the ruined heap, adding to the terror and confusion.
The police and Fire Brigade were soon on the spot, and the first efforts were devoted to putting out the conflagration. The fire was soon got under control. Some of the beams and woodwork in falling were upheld on one side by a large stone support that had slightly separated itself from the adjoining arch. This saved a house, forming an arch that saved at least twenty-three lives besides two who unaided forced their way through this arch while everyone was engaged in subduing the fire.
The groans and shrieks emanating from the ruins were heart-rending, and among them, one could distinguish the pitiful wail of a child, which later on was taken out, dead. It was said that there were seventy-five people occupying the two ill-starred houses at the time of the collapse. Many passers-by were also buried under the debris as the building fell outward.
The fire once under control, the men of the Fire Brigade worked their hardest to succour the victims and succeeded in rescuing during the night twenty-three persons, among whom were several women and children, alive. Ten of the number were seriously hurt and conveyed to the hospital, whilst thirteen receiving only slight injuries, and being in fact more frightened than hurt, were taken to the Central Police Station and kept there till yesterday forenoon.
Special mention must be made of the voluntary assistance rendered by Privates Walker and Gaunt, of the 38th Co. S.D., R.A., who indeed did more than yeoman service in rescuing the suffering and were responsible for saving a number of lives. Reaching the scene of the disaster, they asked no questions but pulled off their coats and worked heroically until daylight dawned.
Up till 9.30 a.m. yesterday, thirteen dead had been recovered—a woman, one lad, and eleven men.
Shortly after ten o'clock, the Fire Brigade men, composed of police constables and sergeants, renewed their labour in clearing away the debris and recovered more of the victims. The labour was necessarily slow. However, their efforts were attended by the discovery of one body so burned as to be unrecognisable as to sex, and one young girl, her sex only discernible by her bandaged feet, and her age by her stature. Besides these two, the corpses of two children were unearthed, burned and crushed beyond recognition.
About 10 a.m., the Hon. F. H. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, arrived to direct the operations of clearing away the debris and recovering the buried victims.
About 10.45 a.m., H.E. the Governor, accompanied by the Hon. W. Chatham, Acting Director of Public Works, came to view the scene and remained the best part of an hour, in spite of the heavy rain that came down at intervals.
Daily Press.
16/8/01.
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Van 16 SEP 96