CROWD FALLS DOWN SLOPE

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1946, Page 4

CROWD FALLS DOWN SLOPE

THIRT Y-THREE KILLED EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT Received Sunday, 8.50 p.m. LONDON, March 10. After a Cup tie soccer match had been- under way for a q.uarter of an heur at the Burnden Park ground, Bolton, a huge section of the 65,000 spectators on the slope near the stand hegan to sway ominousbt and without ,y.arning they crashed down on the other spectators in front of them, like a ternble, irresistible tidal wave, creating a swirling pool of humanity. Bodies in a few seconds were piled four Jeep.'" The ofiicial casualty figures to late Saturday evening. were 33 dead and j three seriously injured. Five hundred were treated on the ground for minor injuries. The referee, 26 minutes after the accident, decided to resume the game to distract. the crowd 's emotions while the" dead and injured were- extracted from the pile. The ttiousands of people who were shut out when the- ground was filled and- the- gates closed, caused the disaster, said an ofiicial statement. Fifteen fchousand waited outside. When the enciosure was comfortahly filled, further admissions were stopped. Thous-% ands then rushed the fence, overwhelmmg the police and pulled it dowti. A nass of people surged forward again and crashed the steel harriers, which aollapsed. The Press Association said the deathroll was believed to he the highest in „h-e history of British football. The only parallel incident was the collapse of a stand at the Glasgow Rangers' ground-in 1902, causing the death of 25. The Poothall Association is holding an inquiry next week, while an ofiicial Government investigation is also likely.