FOUR KILLED.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18366, 27 April 1925, Page 11

FOUR KILLED.

BUILDING COLLAPSES.

A MELBOURNE TRAGEDY.

WALLS fOLD LIKE CONCERTINA,

(ST CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—C'OrtKIOHT.) (AfSTBALIAS AVD X.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received April 26th, 5.5 p.m.) MELBOURNE, April 25,

With a roar like thunder, the upper pa: .s of a seven-storeyed building in course of erection in Swanston street in tho city collapsed shortly before knocking off time yesterday, and a large number of workmen who were engaged upon it were overwhelmed. Four men were dead when extricated and fifteen injured. The building was being erected for tho British Australian Tobacco Company.

The Firo Brigade was first on the scene and escapo ladders were run up against the still quivering walls. Firemen rescued those who could be seen, while workmen made feverish search foe those of their mates who were buried. Two bodies wero recovered by 6 o'clock and another shortly after. At 8 o'clock the architect examined the standing walls and reported that there was imminent donger of the floor upon which the rescuers were at work collapsing, but it was only after much argument and when it was pointed out tjtiat the unfortunate .man certainly, was dead, and that forty other lives would be in momentary danger that the men would agree to leavo off the search till daybreak. Little warning of tho collapse was given. On the fourth floor, third floor and roof were dozens of labourers, carpenters, plasterers, whitewashes, and painters. Pay envelopes were being passed round when suddenly there was heard a slow, grinding sound, and the men saw the wall outward and then contracting again, after which it fell like a sheet in tho wind. A rush for the exits followed. Those who rushed to tho front wero lucky, while those who dashed in the opposite direction were mostly caught. The wall collapsed like a concertina. The other walls folded in and the ceiling fell in a shower of deb'ris.

Giant concrete pillars gave way under the strain of tons of falling concrete, much of which pierced the Fourth floor.

Large crowds which quickly gathered hampered the work of the ambulances and police, and a special squad was rushed to the scene to prevent people from entering the building. After the workmen left another search wis made oy a small party an 3 tho remaining body was recovered at 10 o'clock. The names of the dead are:—

George Marshall, aged 48, whitewashing contractor, of Fitzroy. Reginald Shaw, aged 22, of Carlton. Victor Ingham, aged 35, of Northcote.

Edgar Lydiard, aged 40. of Brunswick.

"Hie first three men were married Little is known at present regarding Lydiard. Experts are mystified as to the cause of the collapse of the building. It was to have been finished in the next tw» months.

Sensational disclosures are expected at the inquest on the victims.