HOSPITAL DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1929, Page 5

HOSPITAL DISASTER

EXPLOSION OF GAS. NINETY-ONE DEAD. (United Prose Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). (Received this dav at 9. a.m.) NEW YORK, May 15. T A message from Cleveland, Ohio, states ninety-one are dead as the result, of an explosion and poison gases shortly after noon to-day at Cleveland clinic hospital. Pedestrians for a block around wore overcome by gas, and dropped oil the sulewalK gasping. The hospital was operated by Dr George Grille. The explosion occurred in the X-ray room, the cause being unknown. Firemen braved death, taking scores of patients from the wards and clinic rooms. Many were unconscious, some burned and others suffering from gas. FURTHER PARTICULARS. A FEARSOME TRAGEDY. NEW YORK, May ’ There were three explosions in Cleveland clinic disaster, after which a i7r« broke out. There are possibly one hundred injured. Two hundred persons are believed to have been in the building when the blasts occurred. Unofficial reports declared the expl" sion was caused by an X-ray machine in the basement shortly before noon. Then within fifteen minutes chemicals in the pharmacy exploded, firing the building and spreading deadly fumes. A third explosion shook the structure several minutes Inter, while the police' and firemen were inside attempting rescue work. The removal of the patients was handicapped owing to the intense heat. Many jumped lrom the windows and were injured before the rescuers arrived. Firemen found a gruesome spectacle on the second floor, namely a pile of bodies on the landing somo dead, some injured. All the latter were unconscious. Mixed with the bodies were chunks of plaster and debris from thee ceiling and walls. AN AWFUL HAPPENING. SOME PARTICULARS. (Received this 'dav at 1.30 p.m.i NEW YORK, May 15. In the Cleveland explosion ninetyfive are dead: The 'explosion occurred among X-ray films in the basement. The bromide compound in the films was released in'-’dense brown clouds, • the bromide burning out the Sensitive tissues of the mouth, nose and lungs, and causing the victims to bleed profusely at the eyes, nose and mouth. The scene was, ghastly. Some patients screamed horribly as they saw the deadly gas creep up on them while they, lay in agony. Those stricken by fire died in an aspect of horror with .the convulsions of the other patients, nurses and doctors, who clutched their throats gasping for breath, as they, suffered the torments of, tlie poison gas. The building was a four storey structure. The fire .was put out in two boors.' Tho damage is fifty thousand dollars... ~ Doctor E. Lower, director of the hospital, said: “The deaths were apparently due to ga3 poisoning. Persons in the building collapsed and were dead in less than.' a .minute after the gas had been inhaled. J do not know what gas it was, hut from the behaviour of-the victims it is similar to phosgeno gas, such as was used in the world war.” The bodies of tho victims, all of which are now removed from the * wreckage, were turned yellow by the action of chemicals. . F. B. Conklin (proprietor of a neighbouring dance hall) witnessed the blasts. He was standing on the lawn when he heard deep rumbling. “I glanced in the direction of the sound and saw the clinic roof lift, as the explosion tffe through. Instantly the doors opened and nurses and patients fled screaming. - About a score of girls appeared at the first and second storey windows and jumped to the ground. The fire broke out immediately. .Pedestrians ran and caught some girls as they leapt. A dozen men jumped, some of whom broke legs and sustained other injuries. The clinic was a scene of utmost confusion. The screams of men and women rent the air. Firemen and police rushed in and carried out the bodies of dead and injured. Some had managed to reach the doors, others never ,had a chance, being helpless in lied. A witness said: “I have seen nothing like it since the war.”