MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1927, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association

HOUSES COLLAPSE

LONDON. July 10.

Crowds of West End shoppers wer provided with a sensation yesterday morning by the collapse ill Beak Stree off Regent Street, of two old houses one of which was under repair. Hun dreds of people rushed to the scene following on a great noise like an ex plosion. Within a few minutes police and firemen were working feverishly to rescue the occupants and also the passers-by who had been buried in the debris. '1 lie work was most difficult, owing tn the mass of masonry being in a dangerous state in the outer walls. Some of the victims were imprisoned for several hours. They were given water and stimulants through tubes. It was nine hours before the last body of those affected were reached. They were three girls employed as pyjama makers. They were marooned in a third floor room, from which two of the walls had disappeared. They were saved in the nick of time hy firemen, as the floor just afterwards collapsed. A hov who was saved said that he \yas lying in bed when tho ceiling cracked and broke. The next thing he knew was that he was being hurled down with a pile of piaster all over him. It was a miracle that lie was only bruised. It was ultimately found that one man and one woman had been killed. Fifteen were injured, several seriously. One of those dead is Grelte Papini, the occupier of one of the houses. Pile other is Mrs Nyc*.