DURBAN CATASTROPHE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 276, 14 August 1908, Page 9

DURBAN CATASTROPHE.

FIREMEN IN HOSPITAL.

According to Jteuter's account of..tha-Univ> ban catastrophe (already referred to in.THB Dominion) it appears that there .were five firemen on the temporary building at Lord's "at..tho moment it. w-as, set on -fire, but only, 'Cox .and Williams,-suffered severely, the others^'escaping with slight.burns. When, the accident .occurred, it was some time before the .crowd appreciated that a catastrophe, had .taken, place, and it was thought that it-was 'only, dummies which were falling/from the building. .

The, Durban correspondent of tho "Cape Times" .writes 011 June ,23;— The, news of the shocking accident which occurred at the Ambulance and . Eiro Brigade .display at Cord's, Grounds, last night has cast a gloom over" the iwhole,.community to-day,"and has olicitcd :heartfelt sympathy with the parents of tho hapless victims of the tragic disaster. The unqualified success of the display on Saturday only accentuated. the terrible termination to the proceedings last night, as 110 one fancied for a moment that there could "bo even a chance of anything going so fear- ' Tho disaster has been the subject' of;, subdued■ 1 reference all day,- though but'for the mistaken signal all would have gone well. The scene last night was heartrending, with frantic parents and 1 children screaming; ladies fainting, and the inability of anyone to do anything. The building ■Was so quickly in the power, of the flames •that'the people wore helpless. When the in-cinerated-bodies of, the little ones were ';br6ught'.forth, everybody was overcome, and scen<rthat 'llad becii highly successful, wit-nessed-by thousands, was turned into a camp of 'mourning. The funeral of the three victims took, place this afternoon, and was a most touching spectacle. The' cortege was ,au exceedingly-long one, and was beaded by-'.a fire- engine, the threo hearses being 'folliwfcd by the< Mayor, and municipal officials, the FhW'Briga'dc, '.the men of H.M.S. Hermes, the borough'polioe,i'the cadets, school chums of the deceased, 'and a large attendance of the general' public. '; Tho .cemetery was crowded; aild there was scarcely a dry, eye among' the' assemblage and the 1 crowds whe lined tho streets.

; Fireman David Williams, who broke a leg i.aiitfSvhs jiljured by the flames at the catas- ;;. fcrophe at Lord's, died' at the Government : ■ iHospikal.-in,'Williams was an ex-member of i -tho-.Eire .Brigade,,and had given his services. / ; •• ] Lord Selborne has.-sent a message of con;'; , 'dolence to the parents of' the victims in thf ■ .tragedy. .V J,.', 1 .,