HORROR OF FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1931, Page 14

HORROR OF FIRE

DEATHS IN ONE SHOP ASSISTANT'S VIVID ACCOUNT

<<It was frightful. Not a concrete or brick building has been left standing in Hastings, and those that survived the earthquake have been destroyed by fire," said Mr. E. Winspear, buyer in the men's department of Roach's drapery shop in Hastings to a "Post" representative to-day. Mr. Winspear said that when the earthquake first came he was working in the rear portion of the store. The first jolt commenced to wreck the building,' and as he made a dash for safety a large skylight crashed down and missed his head by inches only. As it was it struck him on the foot, cutting it rather badly. Just as he got out of the door of the premises the whole of tho roof fell in. " GIRLS AND MEN KILLED. "The screams of the girls who were trapped and injured were frightful," said Mr. Winspear. As far as he knew there were fourteen of the staff, two women customers, and a schoolboy in the shop when the roof foil. in. ■ It is known definitely that eight or nine of the girl assistants and three of the mmi were killed. The schoolboy is also known to have been killed. One of ■tl^e assistants had just reached the front door of the shop, and was making for. a place 6f safety when a portionof the .verandah came down and buried him. A boy assistant from the dress .department was in''the middle of the store when tho roof collapsed, but fortunately ono of the counters fell over on top of him and formed a protection. He was rescued some hours xlater practically uninjured. '■' From piles of debris throughout the length of the main street groans and screams were coming from the injured and tho buried. A man aud woman were sitting in a motor-car which was parked outside Roach's shop, and when the building collapsed, it completely buried the car. Their bodies, which were recovered later, were terribly mangled.. Another car outside the shop caught fire and incinerated ' the driver. Motor-cars throughout the wholo street were engulfed by falling masonry. A young girl who was standing outside Roach's shop had a lucky escape. She was completely buried under a mass of masonry, and it was thought that she was killed instantly. Mr. Winspear, however, heard groans coming from under the mass, and after working for sonic time removing the debris, managed to release the girl who, except for a few cuts and bruises, was uninjured. Ten minutes after the' earthquake Roach's storo caught fire, and within a few minutes was a blazing inferno. Those people who were trapped inside and who perhaps were not) killed would undoubtedly have been j incinerated.

Mr. Winspear said the earthquake came without tho slightest warning, and everyone was taken unawares. The earth was shaking so much that it was practically impossible to keep on .one's feet. "Everyone went mad for a moment, but after it was all over they became very calm," said Mr. AYinspear. "It; seemed as if they did not realise quite what had happened."