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 _
 
COM Tees thet ke eh ae eee .

SHELBY, N. C., Aug. 28: |
Bight persons were killed. 15
injured and an undetermined |
number are missing in the
collapse of the First National.
Bank building during a rush
hour today. eS
_ The death toll may rise as -
three hours after the crast |

workmen had been able. t¢
clear away the debris only at’.
‘the edge of the building. ,
| The known dead: .
| MISS ORA EHNTRIDGE. secre. .
j tary to the bank president. :
| GUY GREEN, bank clerk.

ALEX BOYD, bank clerk.

DEB BLANTON, a farmer.

CARL BLANTON, his son,

An unidentified white man.

Unidentified negro.

— Vnidentified white man. .
| Police estimated the death toll
‘would mount steadily as’ rescue
‘erews dig deeper into the debris
‘in the search of bodies,
Expect to Find Bodies :
No accurate check up could be.
‘made of the missing persons, but
jt was known that a dozen or more -
ad not been accounted for.
| Barly ‘this afternoon the crews.
pad ‘searched only the edges of tha .
huge. pile of debris, and it was
feared many more bodies would be
found toward the center.

Tt was feared that a crew of sew
enteen Negroes who were working -
in the center,of the building were”
all killed. the rescue crews had
not been able as yet to get to the
place where the Negroes were
working, oe

Tt was known that fifteen per
sons. were injured. several. of whont
may die. They were all: taken ta
a. hospital- here as they were ex

‘tricated from the falien structure,

Excavation work at a nearby

building was generally assigned 3”
‘the cause of the collapse of tia
wank building. It was known that -
lseveral persons were in a grocery
and a tailor’s shop which were A.
part of the building. but it was ex-
‘nected fo be hours before’ that
fpart of ihe- structure could be
/searched thoroughly. 2 oe
| The building was on a principal
business corner here. :

Ther were a dozen petrons em

| ployed in the batk and as the
erash occurred during a rush
| morning business bour, it was be-
lieved that at Jeast that many oth-
ers were in the building, Four
persons were employed in the’
grocety and two in the tailors’
shop. we .

Tt was believed that it would be
hours before rescue crews could
pring out the bodies of all the per-
sons. either dead or trapped under
the piles of debris, and the ex-

| tent of the death tol! definitely as-
| cartained. . .

 

 

 

  

 

 
 