HALIFAX DISASTER

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 14, 16 January 1918, Page 7

HALIFAX DISASTER

THE TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION BY WEL-

LINGTON RESIDENT.

The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.'M.G-.), has received a letter from an engineerlieutenant giving a graphic description of the recent terrible explosioa and festruction to life and property in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He writes:—

"You will be rather surprised to'hear from me from this port of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Only for a lucky alteration in our plans and a. delay in berthing you. would probably never have heard from me again. I have been through something on the_ Western front, and have seen destruction in life and property to a great extent, but the disaster here yesterday surpassed the lot. Happenings of the last two years I will never forget; certainly this calamity has been placed first in my memory. We left in the belief that it was to be the same as usual, but had not been out many days when we were ordered here. Had a smooth run, although the weather was very dull and cold. On arriving here we anchored and started coaling, expecting to finish in time to be berthed on a certain day in the afternoon. We did not get alongside as intended, and just as well for tis, as it was during the morning of this day that the disaster occurred. We were sitting at breakfast in the ward- room when a. loud explosion was heard, and the ship shook and heeled over. I had just time to think that a. ship had collided with "us, when another tremendous .report, hundreds of times greater than tlie first, rent the air. Most of us were thrown out of our chairs, the thick glass ports were smashed, and everything movable was upset. lat once thought that a hostile submarine had sneaked in the harbour and torpedoed us. There was a rush from below to the deck, and then we saw a. wonderful but awful sight. A huge, thick, white, rolling cloud of smoke was rising up and debris was falling into the water where? ">vfir yoii looked. It was soon realised that an awful explosion had taken place, but of what theifc was no telling. When the cloud disappeared it was seen to have happened in the. vicinity of the dockyard and just near where wo expected to be the previous day • . All hands were mustered and the cutters were soon away with every available man and officer. We had already made a signal asking if help was required, but the flagship did not immediately answer, probably owing to confusion and casualties aboard her. Fires were seen to be raging all over the town, and near the scene of the explosion everything was alight. We really went with tlie intei> tion of fighting the flames, but found our job to be rescue work. "One part of the town was absolutely cut off by fires, and fortunately we landed here and were able to use our boats to convey wounded to a place where they could be taken away. The whole locality was demolished, and the scene was appalling. Hundreds of killed were lying about, and other poor beggars were pinned down amongst the ruins. How tvo did work, and what awful cases we had to deal with ! All conveyances were put into service, and it was very soon seen that the hospitals could not deal with the injured. Other buildings weW utilised, and even the ships in the harbour were used.

"At first we did not have time to think of tho cause of the explosion or even, what had gone up, but we eventually learned of it.' It appears that. a French steamer., laden .with 4000 tons of explosives and also a quantity of benzine on deck, was inwai'd bound, and she got into collision with a Belgian relief ship flying the Norwegian flag. The benzines caught fire, and, of course, that was the end of it. The ship was blown to pieces, not a- part of her remaining on the water. Some of her twisted plates are to be seen in the town, and her gun Ims been found three, miles away. Shipping in the immediate vicinity suffered badly. A number of vessels have disappeared altogether, while others. have been stripped of funnel and all deck gear. Even the interior of some are just a mass of wreckage. The casualties aboard them are numerous; all hands being killed in someflcases. It was a pitiful sight to see the craft being towed out into midjharbom- out of the danger zone. They had to do this as there was a chance of the shore magazine going up any minute. For the same reason all the remaining people were driven to the extreme opposite end of the town. Luckily the magazine did not go off, and it was soon made- safe. ■

"The huge fire raged all day and night, and to make matters worse the weather, which had been fine, turned to a nasty blizzard. The following day it blew and snowed without ceasing, but still the rescue work went on. We had tucker and relief parties sent from the ship, and we are still carrying on in this way. The fire is now out, but a tremendous number of people are still missing, and it means shifting a lot of debris to get the bodies. A few have been found alive, but there is no chance for any more now. "The paper gives it out that they estimate the killed to be about 2000, while the injured will be about 5000 or 6000. The homeless amount to 20,000, 60 you can see w"hat a dreadful thing has happened. Relief is boing sent from all quarters.; special trains bringing doctors, nurses, medical supplies, clothing, and food. Things have got more settled now, and it makes one notice the pright of the people more. One man to-day was searching amongst the ruins of his house, and had a few clwrred bones on a, tray. He turned round and remarked that that was all that was left of Ms family of seven."