I GHASTLY SCENES

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17712, 16 May 1929, Page 8

I GHASTLY SCENES

§ POISON GAS. HORROR. I HELPLESS HOSPITAL PATIENTS. 7/ tj |j 95 REPORTED. TO BE DEAD. KEr T«leprap7j—press As«n. —Copyrlg-ttt.) if (Australian Press Association.) (Received May 16, 2.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 15. y As the result of the Cleveland gas \ explosion 95 are dead. The explosion occurred among p X-ray films in the basement. The || bromide compound in the film was rejp leased in dense brown clouds, and the bromide burning ont the sensitive tis*3 sues of the mouth, nose and lungs, p caused the victim to bleed profusely at Sjs the eyes, nose and mouth. Pj The scene was ghastly. [5; Some of the patients screamed horf ribly as they saw the deadly gas creep upon them while they lay in their beds. The agony of those stricken by the p fire vied in the aspect of horror with || the convulsions of other patients, g nurses and doetdrs who clutched their ‘A throats, gasping, for breath as they ® suffered torments from the poison gas. £ The building was a four-storey 3 ' structure. The fire was put out in two hours. || The damage is estimated at £IO,OOO. jfP 1 SUPERINTENDENT’S STATEMENT. P QUICK DEATHS 'OF THE VICTIMS. ;; BODIES TURNED YELLOW- ;*]' N-1 ——» <ny Telegraph—press Assn. —Copyright.: “■ (Australian Press Association.) || (Received May 16, 2.15 p.m.) p NEW YORK, May 16. Dr. E. Lower, Director'of Hospitals, t’■ said: “ The deaths apparently are due to gas poisoning. The persons in the X building collapsed and were dead in less than a minute after the gas had jjrtj been inhaled. I do not know what V gas it was, but from the behaviour of M the victims it is similar to phosgene p gas, such as was used in the world p war.” Wj The bodies of the victims, all of m which are now removed from the wreckage, were turned yellow by the j? action of the chemicals.

& EYE-WITNESS’ NARRATIVE. | | PANIC-STRICKEN GIRLS. !§ | LEAP FROM' HOSPITAL WINDOWS. \'\ yfj SCENES OF CONFUSION. f.4> riy —Press Assn. — Copyright.) M (Australian Press Association.) W (Received May 165, 2.45 p.m.) # NEW YORK, May 15. I’ Mr F. B. Conklin, proprietor of a •p neighbouring dance hall, witnessed >fj the blasts. He was standing on hiß P lawn when he heard a deep rumbling. $j lie said: “I glanced In the direction of the sound and saw the clinic roof lift as the explosion tore through. In- £ stantly the doors opened, and nurses y, and patients fled screaming. About a score of girls appeared at the first and second storey windows and jump- || ed to the ground. The fire broke H out immediately. Pedestrians ran and fe caught some girls as they leapt. A dozen men jumped, some of whom ft broke their legs and sustained other ; injuries. “The clinic was the scene of the % utmost confusion. Screams of men, ■ and women rent the air. “Firemen and police rushed in and t ■ carried out the bodies of the dead ‘ r U nd injured. Some had managed to 'reach the doors, but others never had ;r , a chance, being helpless In their beds.” Witness said “I have seen nothing like it since the war.”

SCREAMS FOR HELP. \ helpless patients perish. f FALL BACK IN THE FIRE. FIREMEN’S HEROIC EFFORTS. <By Telefr-apn—Press Avm —Copyrlgtu.) i Australian Pre?? Association.) (Received May 16, 2.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 15. After the first blast had shattered the hospital, the nurses and a few patients who happened to be close alongside the exits, rushed screaming from the building. A number of girls jumped from the third and second storey windows, and some were so badly gassed that they staggered only a few feet before collapsing. Pedestrians who ran up quickly were -also caught in the gas wave. By this time another ward full of men and women was affected. The patients were appearing at the upper windows .screaming for help. They were so ..badly off that most of them fell back ohto the flames and gas. ; a few minutes later the firemen got up and carried out the ladies :;i)y one o’clock. % Doznes were still standing on the "froof, to which they escaped through -the skylight. Superhuman efforts are made to reach them. Clouds, of dense smoke blotted them 'J-but occasionally. '’".Thousands of cheering spectators applauded every heroic effort by the firemen.

The Cleveland morgues and other hospitals in the meantime are overflowing with dead and dying.

three o’clock a check up appeared of the death list, which estimated the dead at more than 70.

hospital was four storeys, brick raiid steel semiflreproof building.

it, By half-past three the fire was practically controlled and the last man ;.\Vas removed from the roof. The .>brave firemen, used extension lad*mjrs outside, because the interior was Ssll so srhoke laden that it was impenetrable. The injured and gassed victims were dying rapidly before oxygen 4Wld he administered,