INJURIES ON FROZEN GROUND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 84, 19 January 1938, Page 5

INJURIES ON FROZEN GROUND.

HEAT PREVENTS RESCUE.

FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY.

ALL EXITS CATCH FIRE.

(Received This Day, 1.56 p.m.) MONTREAL, January 18

A message from St. Hyacinthe states that with the total dead not yet determinable owing to the confusion still existing after the fire, it is already indicated that 3Q are possibly dead, chiefly boys. Eight bodies have been recovered and at least 22 are missing.

Panic and death spread among the 160 pupils and 30 brothers and priests as the blaze destroyed the Sacred .Heart College at 2 a.m. when everyone was asleep. Outside a tremendous frost, eight degrees below zero, covered* everything with ice. Many raced to the fire escapes from which they were pjushed by the pressure rrom behind, falling on to the ice, badly injured. Churchbells summoned the townfolk when a workman discovered the fire, and ran to obtain assistance. Hundreds of peojfie hurried to the scene, but were unable to approach near enough to the blazing building to help the trapped pupils.

The terror-stricken youngsters ‘ ran hysterically in all directions. Eire blocked the corridors as the conflagration rapidly enveloped the entire structure.

Twenty are in hospital,' one in a serious condition, including those who jumped from the fourth storey. The only identified dead was Brother Jean Baptiste, a teacher, aged 64,. who leapt frotti the fourth storey. Many beys are being treated for burns and broken hones and other injuries in the school hospital nearby. The escapees, ail scantily clad,, were taken in by surrounding householders. The structure was tee-shaped, with the dormitories on the topmost, the fourth storey, and the ground floor. It burned most rapidly and quickly collapsed, but 10 hours after the discovery of the’ fire the fireipen were still compelled, to pour in water, as it was still unextinguished. One journalist declared that half an hour after the discovery of the fire all the exits were wrapped in flame and no fireman was. able to enter. Those inside had to save themselves as best they could.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.