QUAY COLLAPSE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17919, 25 October 1932, Page 2

QUAY COLLAPSE

LOSS OP LIFE FEARED NEW DOCK NEARLY READY VIGO, Spain, Sept. 10. About half-past 10 this' morning there collapsed here the west arm of the large T-shaped quay, a kind of elevated platform of wooden sleepers supported upon iron columns and measuring some COOft. each way by about ,70ft, wide. At the time of the accident there yyere moored alongside the quay the Romeu, of the Cia Ti-nsmeditermnea-.(3ooo tons), and the Cabo Blanco, .of the Cia Ybarra (2000 tons), while the landing stage was congested with miscellaneous merchandise, including .cod fish, sardines, oil, wine, china, sugar, maizp, tobacco, cement, and (piles of timber. There were also gome seven or eight railway wagons lined up on the platform. These were being loaded by hundreds of laborers when sounds of cracking were heard beneath their feet. Then suddenly everything collapsed. It is. reported that seven workmen are missing, while it is feared that a .number of passengers who were promenading and some anglers who were fishing underneath the quay have been drowned. A number of boats, cranes and drags aro clearing the wreckage, /searching for the dead,* and salvaging ■the merchandise. At a late hour this afternoon rescuers lifted a brake-van ■out of the Avater and discovered the body of the guard at his wheel. The .port authorities declare that the collapse was due to the constant shock •of mooring steamers and the inevitable rot from salt water. Fortunately a new and commodious dock is nearly completed, and this Avill now be made (immediately available for the service •of all merchant ships entering the ■port.