CIRCUS TENT FALLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18758, 11 January 1923, Page 7

CIRCUS TENT FALLS

RESULT OF HEAVY GALE, SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED. While Wirth’s Circus was performing in ; Ballarat on , Decern her 23, . 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 quickly mad© •taut; again, and the performance was proceeded < with. About a quarter of an hour later the wind gained a velocity of 60 miles en hour, according to the : official record of Mr John Britain, at the Mount Pleasant Observatory. Suddenly a gust swept across the tent, tho_ 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 proven too much for the other supports, and the western side of the tent blew in with 1 a loud report. The huge spread of canvas lifted in the . air like a big umbrella, and then swept over the arena, dragging everything with it. Tn 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 hatfe been‘expected, the audience evidently being stunned by the suddenness of the accident. Those who were free of the canvas immediately made a rush for safety, but a stampede was averted by cries to the crowd tn keep still. The cries were obeyed with wonderful promptness, and lights were 'obtained, the electric lighting having fsited; when the tent collapsed. The circus attendants at once hastened', to release the people who were caught under’ the canvas. About 20 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 bens' by a jagged end of .a broken seat, another had the palm of his hand torn (men, and ki dozen or more sustained cuts and bruises.

A woman who was near the exit was struck by another falling piece of timber;,," and was crashed to the ground. She waaj. taken to a doctor, who found that she Kail.,-, slight concussion and had been injured’.'on;, the hip and knee. Quite a number -of ■ women feinted, and others became hysterical. ‘ As soon as the crowd had cleared away, from the arena, there was a general inquiry,, for missing property. Considering all the... ckcmnflrfanoes, the greatest astonishment’,; is expressed that nobody was killed or seri-■, ously injured. -.c;