CIRCUS TENT COLLAPSES

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11410, 5 January 1923, Page 7

CIRCUS TENT COLLAPSES

TWENTY PEOPLE INJURED. EXCITING SCENES FOLLOW. BALLARAT, December 26. While Wirth’s Circus was perform- 1 ing on Saturday night near the Eastern Bathe a terrific windstorm struck the'tent and completely demolished it. The wind had been blowing with some violence all the evening, and shortly after half-past 9 o’clock fears were entertained that the centre of the tent would come down. It was quick ly made taut again, and the performanoe was proceeded with. About * quarter of an hour later the wind gained a velocity of 60 miles an hour, according to the official record of Mr John Brittain, at the Mount Pleasant Observatory. Suddenly a gust swept across the tent, the sides of which swayed and flapped in an ominous manner. A few seconds later a stout rope near the main .entrance snapped like a piece of string. The extra strain proved too much for the other supports, and the western side of the tent blew in with a loud report. The huge spread of oahvas lifted in the air like a big umbrella, and then swept over the arena, dragging everything with it. In a moment a scene of great excitement ensued. The canvas was blown across to the eastern side and fell on the tiers of seats, which were crowded with spectators. Heavy timbers collapsed, and one of them descended on the staging, smashing through it, and sending the people on it struggling to the ground. Wild screams were heard, but- there was not nearly as much uproar as might have been expected, the audience evidently being etunmed by the suddenness of the accident. . Those who were free of the canvas immediately made a rush for safety, hut a stampede was averted, by ones to the crowd to keep still. The cries were obeyed with wonderful promptness, and lights were obtained, the electric lighting having failed when the tent collapsed. The circus attendants at once hastened to release the people who were caught under the canvas. About 90 persons were injured in the vicinity of where the seating had been smashed, hut none of them seriously. One man had his forehead cut to the bone by the jagged end of a broken seat, another had the palm of his hand torn open, and a dozen or more sustained cu|» and bruises. A. woman who was near the exit was struck by another falling piece of timber, and was crushed to the ground. She was taken to a doctqy, who found that she bad slight concussion and had been injured ,on the hip and knee, while then} wns a lump the size of an egg on her head. A number of the injured were treated privately, and five were taken to the hospital. Kevin Carter was admitted for head injuries, and Ernest MeIlven* for concussion, while Roma Sufiren, L. Cowdrell, and Ernest Wilson were treated for cuts on the head and then were allowed to he taken to their homes. Quite a number of women fainted, and others became hysterical. As soon as the crowd bad cleared away from the arena, - there was a general inquiry property. Yesterday morning the work of repairing the fent, which had been badly tom, was undertaken, while largo crowds assembled to watch the proceedings. Many persons have not recovered the articles which thev lost in the wild scene of confusion which took place. All the injured people are progressing favourably. Considering all the circumstances, the greatest astonishment is expressed that nobody was killed or seriously hurt.