FOUR HUNDRED KILLED

Southland Times, Issue 22916, 15 June 1936, Page 7

FOUR HUNDRED KILLED

THE GRANDSTAND TRAGEDY SUPPRESSION OF FACTS RUMANIAN PUBLIC IN FURY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) London, June 13. The Bucharest correspondent of The News Chronicle says that the indignation caused by the collapse of the grandstand during a review of Boy Scouts last Monday has risen to a fury which is beating about the throne itself. Relatives have already been officially informed of the deaths of 368 people, but it is positively known that no fewer than 420 were killed, besides 93 others with broken backs and 380 with amputated legs or arms.

The public had known the terrible results of the disaster from the beginning, but the newspapers were allowed to print only an official communique stating that only three were killed. The suppression of facts is interpreted as an attempt to shield those responsible for the catastrophe which, it is asserted, was caused by criminal negligence, by poor work and by the ' use of defective material. Many of those killed belonged to distinguished families.

One paper says: “This happened because the King is surrounded by liars and robbers.” Another says: “Rumania is a land without a responsible Government, but nobody expects that any member of the Government will be punished, and since the builders of the grandstand were Jews they will probably be made the scapegoats.”

A message from Bucharest, printed last Wednesday, stated that 30 were killed and 600 injured when a grandstand collapsed while King Carol of Rumania and Dr Eduard Benes, President of Czechoslovakia, were reviewing Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. Of those injured 483 were taken to hospital, while others were accommodated. in private houses owing to the hospitals being full. The sufferers were chiefly the relatives of the young performers. Scouts and Girl Guides were the first to rush to the rescue. King Carol, his brother. Prince Nicholas, and his son, the Crown Prince Michael, led the rescue operations and prevented a stampede. The scene of the accident was opposite the Royal Box m which Queen Marie of Rumania, Dr Benes and members of the Diplomatic Corps were horrified spectators. The bands continued playing and the programme proceeded in order -to obviate any panic.