DISASTER AT CHARING CROSS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10574, 27 January 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

DISASTER AT CHARING CROSS.

0:0 FALL UF STATION ROOF,

SIX PERSONS KILLED

LONDON, December 8.

Shortly before 4 o'clock on Tuesday an appalling accident occurred at the Charing Cross terminus of tho London and South-Eastern Railway Company, when, without the slightest warning, several of the massive iron girders forming the roof at the Villiers street corner near the river Thames suddenly collapsed. Six men were killed by the falling debris, and over 30 injured. The enormous masses oi iron m thenfall carried with them part of the walls of the station and several enginemen's cabins into a cabyard m Villiers street, killing several horses, and wrecking a number of cabs. The wall of the west side also collapsed, and fell upon the roof of the Avenue Theatre, doing serious injury, and wounding a number of workmen engaged there on- the reconstruction of the house. The station was crowded, and the scene immediately after the accident was one of panic and confusion. Telephonic messages were dispatched to Charing Cross and other hospitals, the fire brigade were called, and within a few minutes ambulances were hurrying towards tho station. AN APPALLING CRASH. The noise within the station when the collapse commenced was appalling. People stood panic stricken, and watched the huge girders twist and buckle as they fell, carrying with them parts of the great stone walls on either side of the station. The crashing glass of the roof as it fell m all directions auuu to the din, and the cries of the injured increased the contusion. The station staff were prompt m their endeavor to cope with the disaster, but for some minutes the fear that a further collapse might take place prevented them from doing all that might have been done. As the roof of the station collapsed a portion of the outside well fell outwards upon the rear of the Avenue Theatre, which abuts upon the, station premises. The wall gave way under the weight and impetus of the falling mass, carrying with it a portion of the scaffolding, and shaking the whole fabric of the theatre. Nearly 150 men were working inside the building at the time of the accident, and a large number of these were buried by the collapse of the wall and roof. Despite the confusion that followed, their fellow employees at once began to search for the unfortunate men and a large number were rescued from dangerous positions.

A large number of firemen with escapes and other equipment soon arrived on the scene, and their efforts were at once directed to the aid of the men injured m the theatre. Several of the men stated that some time before the accident they heard a loud rumbJing noise, and felt that something was about to happen. When the roof fell m it carried with it much of the scaffolding and a number of men who were at work on various floors of the building. A part of the stage, one of .the men said, also fell through, the men being buried m the debris beneath. "My mate," said one, "was standing by me when it happened, and I have not seen him since. He is still among the missing, for whom the firemen are making a search.'' A BREATHLESS MOMENT. A workman who was working on the roof of the theatre said : "I was work- 1 ing on the roof at the time. A new roof has been placed on the theatre, and. there were about 30 other men working! near me. 1 was working on some scaffolding which was round the dome, and some of my mates were working on the dome. Suddenly a man who was working next to me said. 'Look up ! J list look at that wall !' I glanced up just m time to see the wall reeling over, and the next instant it fell with a crash right upon the dome. In a moment I jumped on to the ladder which was standing near me, and I held on tightly. The wall fell with a terrific crash, and we were smothered with dust. I lost no time, I can tell you, m sliding down that ladder. Some of my mates, however, were not so fortunate, and I have seen at least six of them carried away to the hospital." After the dust had cleared away several of the girders could be seen hanging over the high station wall, as well as over Hungerford Bridge, and immense crowds stood .about m the neighborhood, gazing with bated breath, m the expectation that they, too, would fall, and still further increase the calamity. As soon as possible a large force of police was brought to the station, and all except those having duty there were cleared from the platforms. All traffic from Charing Cross Station was immediately stopped, and the whole energy of the officials was concentrated on discovering and relieving the. injured. As the ambulance reached the station they were taken on to the departure platform on the eastern side of the station, preparations having meanwhile been made at Charing Cross Hospital for the reception of the injured. ;

By a quarter past four no fewer than 28 workmen had been carried to the hospital. One of the men was so badly crushed that he died a few minutes after being admitted, while others have been so seriously wounded by the falling of stone and girders that they are not expected to recover. Up to 6 o'clock 31 persons had been admitted to the hospital. Of these 19 were detained, and the rest attended to and sent home.

So far as is known, no passengers were injured at the station.

CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.

The railway, authorities are rapidly pushing forward the work of clearing away the debris at the station, and endeavoring to ascertain the cause of the disaster, which at present they attribute to the breaking of a tie-rod supporting one of the girders holding tho roof. They discredit the theory that the waR gave out first, and that this caused the disaster.