BURIED IN RUINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 250, 22 October 1928, Page 7

BURIED IN RUINS.

BUILDING'S COLLAPSE.

Cheap Materials Blamed For

French Disaster.

CHARGES OF HOMICIDE.

("Times" Cables.)

LONDON, October 21.

Messages from Paris state that when the seven-storey building collapsed at Yincennes 25 workmen were buried beneath the ruins. Policemen and firemen rushed to the rescue. The contractor for the building, M. Provini, and his foreman, were arrested and charged with homicide through negligence. On the way to a police station the former drew a revolver and attempted to shoot himself in the head, but was prevented from doing so.

It is feared that 19 men were killed. Nine bodies have been recovered so far. The groans of injured victims could be heard from beneath the debris. The Paris correspondent of the "Times" says that in spite of the prolonged rescue work by gangs of workmen, policemen and soldiers, among the thousands of tons of debris, several men are still buried in the ruins. Three of the injured have been removed. Few additional survivors are expected because the majority were working ou i the second floor and four completed storeys of the building collapsed upon them. A further collapse is now feared. Acetylene blowpipes have been employed to cut the girders and release the victims.

One of four injured men who were huddled together in a cavity was given rum through a tube to maintain his

strength. However, he died after he was extricated. The other three men could not be reached.

Injections of camphorated oil and cocaine sustained another man until he was rescued.

The builder and hie foreman admitted that suspicious cracks in the building were cemented three weeks ago. It is believed that the cheapness of the materials used and the absence of proper plans were responsible for the disaster.