FALL OF A BUILDING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 204, 15 December 1876, Page 4

FALL OF A BUILDING.

n ■ » TP«nMt COSDCCT OF A FATHER. A catastrophe of a most unusual character happened in Jiattray-street last evening- About twenty minutes past 7 o'clock a landslip occurred just beyond the intersection of Madaggan-street, and about ICO yards above the Shamrock Hotel. In funning the street and making i ascent, a deep cutting has been in the hfl], and immediately behind flte buildings and shops the_ earth rises almost perpendicularly to a height of from gpft, to 40ft. At the time stated, without the slightest previous warning, a huge mass of earth—probably between 20 and 30 tons —became detached, and fell with crushing effect on the back part of the Melbourne and Ballarat Veterinary Forgu, occupied by Alr. Pritchard and his family. The building is substantially constructed of brick, consists of two storeys, and comprises a large store-rowm and forge beneath, and about half-a-dozen rtwnus for the accommodation of the ownsrr and his family on the upper flat. When the occurrence took place Mr. Pritchard happened fortunately to be oots.de, standing at the end of his premises, where a quantity of iron has been stored. A Iwutl, rumbling sound was h.'artl, i*e the rattle of cart-wheels passing ov.r some rough, uneven ground, and immediately tue earth was seen sliding behind, atid the trtriMmg surging to its very foundations. Mr*. Pritchard and three children were in one of the opp:*r rooms, just fintsUiig their tea, when they were alarmed by tUe shaking of the house. As the centre ot the struct ore bulged forward towards the street, she was seen to rush towards the front window with a young child in her arms. She smas'Ved the glass, apparently contemplating a leap into tire street, but just at that critical moment the whole of the brick front ©f the room room fell back nrt*b a crash. Mrs. Pritchard and her child, together with another of her family who clang to her, were literally pinioned between the fallen Tae fact that they stood opposite the window, however, saved them, for while the walls rolled back on each side, t.iey were protected by the opening in the window, and escaped with a few scratches front the broken glass. Mr. PritcUard, with much courage, and at the imminent risk of his own life, ascended by the back of the house the best way he could, ?n l succeeded in extricating his wife and children from their perilous position. A little boy, another of the family, lay in bed in the room adjoining that in wfitch .Mil. Pritchard and the rest had been. The Hoof had tumbled partly down, and the division wall giving way, it was found that the door of the ruotn was crushed down and held fast between floor and ceiling. Mr. Pritchard, however, had no sooner placed his wife an«» the rest of his family in safety than he again ascended the building, which seemed r.ady to fall _ev«ry moment, aud, fearless of consequences, pressed his shoulder to the door, toe bricks tumbling about his head as he did so. By main forc-j he got it opened sufficiently wide to enable htm to secure the remaining member of his family, and, to the relief of some hundreds of spectators, who by this time thronged t!ie street, he descended with the little fellow in his arc*. Those who witnessed the affair •peak in the highest terms of the heroism displayed by the sturdy blacksmith, whose arms, badly braised and almost disabled by the failing bricks and timber, amply attested the natnre of the risk he had run in endeavoring to save his wife and little ones. The police were speedily on the spot, and Sergeant-Major Anderson took every necessary precaution a gainst farther accident by keeping the crowd back, pending the erection of a guard-rail in front. The building now hangs towards the street. The greater portion of the front walls hare frllen in, and the back of the building is almost a complete wreck. The whole of it will have to be taken down, and it is feared, owing to its precarious state, that even the furniture cannot be saved. As it now stands, the slightest weight or shock would evidently bring the whole fabric to the ground. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. Pritchard and his family, to whom the loss will necessarily be a severe one.—Guardian. The Times, in its acconnt of the disaster, after giving a description somewhat similar to the above, supplements it with the following;:—" An exciting and painful scene - followed. Mrs. Pritchard appeared at the upper storey window with a child in her arms, and the falling tlibris pretty well covered them. Her right arm received a fearful gash. Three of the children had been put to bed, and considerable difficulty was experienced in extricating them. One little fellow—had his head severely cttl by the falling of bricks, and Mr. Pritchard sprained his arm in endeavoring to rescue his wife and children, who were extricated from the rear of the premises. Two or three of the neighbors, including Mr. Peter Anderson, rendered valuable to in no great and releaaethe inmates from their exceedingly etfloos position. Upon hearing the screams for asnstanc;, Mrs. Pritchard's mother, who lives hard by, fainted several times: The btttTdlng, which has been greatly shaken, threatens to fall into Rat-tray-street at any moment, and a barricade has been erected to protect pedestrians. The news' of the novel accident was speedily circulated, and a large crowd cf persons assembled to inspect the building- The locality near the. Kafctray-street Steps should be officially inspected in carder that another landslip* may be gnarded against. The accident above referred to «|ui&g a commotion in the