SIX DEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 28, 2 February 1928, Page 7

SIX DEAD.

ENTOMBED RAILMEN.

Rescue Work In Thunderous

Storm.

ENGULFED IN LANDSLIDE. (By Cable.—Fress Association. —Copyright.) (Received 0.30 a.m.) ADELAIDE, this day. Working in heavy rain and thunder and lightning, relief gangs fought desperately throughout the night to release the railway gang of six entombed in the landslide at the duplication work near here. The weight of the falling earth had forced one side of a tunnel slightly inward and when the express from Melbourne passed through yesterday the cars were only just able to clear the opening. While the rescuers worked, their efforts frequently caused small landslides and the men were forced to leap aside to escape falling boulders. The first two entombed men to be released were extricated with comparative ease, as they had been imprisoned on the fringe of the debris and were able to crawl out with little assistance. After many hours of strenuous efforts, the bodies of the dead and the survivors of the gang were dug out.

The landslide is attributed to a soapy joint in the clay. The earth fell upon the unprotected walls of the tunnel, the top of which had been taken off for more than half its length in the process of demolition. Railway traffic between Melbourne and Adelaide was interrupted. The list of the casualties is as follows :— Dead. C. Wilkinson, of Unlev. W. K ilniartin. North Adelaide. Paul Pat, Adelaide. Charles Smith, Adelaide. Jerry Costello, Adelaide. I\. Laffertv, Coromandel Valley. The last-named was alive when extricated, but he died in hospital. Injured. Arthur Newcombe, Balhannah. Other members of the gang were only slightly hurt. When discovered, Kilmartin and Costello were clasped together.