Shelby, N. C., Aug. 28.--Eight per-
ecns were killed, 15 injured and an
undetermined number are m
in the collapse of the First Nati
bank building during a rush hour
today,

The death toll may rise as three
hours after the crash workmen had
been able to clear away the debris
only at the edge of the building, |
The known dead: '
| Miss Ora Ehtridge, secretary to
the bank president; Guy Green,
bank clerk: Alex Boyd, bank clerk;
Deb Blanton, a farmer; Carl Blans
ton, his son; an unidentified
man and two other men,

Death Toll May Mount
Police estimated the death toll
would mount steadily as rescue
crews dug deeper into the debris in
the search of bodies. :

No accurate check up could be
made of the missing persons, butdt
was known that a dozen or more
had not been accounted for,
| Barly this afternoon the crews
‘had searched only the edges of the
‘huge pile of debris, and it was feare
ed many more bodies would be
, found toward the center,

Workmen Feared Killed
| It was feared that a crew of 17
/negroes who were working in the
center of the building were all killed.
‘The reseue crews had not been able
jas yet to get to the place where the
jnegroes were working
| It was known that 15 persons were
‘injured, several of whom may die.
They were all taken to a ~~
lhere as they were extradicated
Sage fallen structure.
: avation work at a

buil iiding = L genes uy =
the cause of the collapse of mo Ps
building. Tt was known that several
persons were in @ grocery and a
tailor shop which were a part of the
building, but it was expected to be
hours before that part of the strue-
ture could be searched thoroughly,
; dmoniessbaasil
; Shelby, N.C, Aug. 28—An un-

determined number of persons were
‘entombed, four were known to have

been killed and 15 were injured
| when the First National Bank build-
> img here collapsed today,
.| While no accurate estimate could
| be made of the number of dead a
few minutes after the crash, four
| bodies were recovered from the de-
» bris. They were unr
., Several were injured and were re.
: (Continued on Page 4)

 
 
Dozen Persons Unaccounted for—Fear Many More
Bodies Will Be Found in Ruins—Believe 17
Negroes Working in Center of Building were
All Killed-——Several of Injured
Eynected tran Me,
  

Oo

SHELBY, N. C., Aug. 28.—(INS) —Collapse of the
First National Bank building here during a rush business
hour this morning claimed an undertermined number of
dead and injured.

At 12:45 this afternoon, when excavation operations
had been under way only three hours, a check-up revealed
six known dead, 15 known injured, and a number of persons
missing.

Police estimated the death toll would mount steadily
ag rescue crews dug deeper into the debris in search of
bodies.

No accurate check-up could be made of the missing
persons, but 1b was known that a dozen or more had not
been accounted for.

Early this afternoon the crews had searched only the
edges of the huge pile of debris, and it was feared many
more bodies would be found toward the center

The known dead:

Miss Ora Ethridge, secretary to the bank president.

Guy, Green, bank clerk.

Alex Boyd, bank clerk.

Deb Blanton, a farmer who was in the bank.

Carl Blanton, his son.

Aw nnidentifiead man
 It was feared that a crew of seven-
teen negroes who were working In the
center of the building were ail Filled
The rescue crews had not heen able
TO get to the place where the negroes
were working at an early hour this
afternoon

It was known that fifteen persons
were injured, several} of whom were
expected to die They were all tak-
en to a hospital here as they were
dragged from the fallen structure

Excavation work at a nearby bulld~
ing was generally assigned as the
cause of the collapse of the bank
puilding It was known that several
persons were in a grocery store and a
tailor's shop which were a part of
the building, but it was expected to
be nours before that part of the
Structure could be searched thorough-
jy

The collapse occurred during a
Tush hour on this little town's main
thoroughfare, and it was beheved
that several persons in the street be-
low were trapped under the ze-
ecunding deluge of stone and timber

The entire fire and police forces
of Shelby, referred to as ‘the sum-
mer capital of North Carolina," were
taaed to the fullest in controlling
the crowds which gathered around
the scene of disaster

Many volunteers aided in the res~
eve onerstions _
 