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 _
 
 

... yphedby, NOC. Auge 28.—Kight
persons were killed, fifteen in-
jured and ajl undetermined num
.ber are missing fin the collapse. of
the First National bank building
during a rush hour ‘today.

The, death toll may jrise three
hours after the -erash ‘workmen
had been able to clear away the
anly at the edge of thy

 

 

 

   

 

  

The known dead are; Miss Ora
Ethridge, seeretary to the bank.
president; Guy Green, bank clerk;
Boyd, bank clerk; Del) Blan-
ton, a farmer; Carl Blahton, his
‘son; two unidentified white men,
and an tiidentified negro,

Police .estimuted. the’ death,-toll
Would ‘mount steadily as rescue
crtws dug flecper into the debris
in the search df bedies. '

No Accurate Check. +

Nozpeenrate, check, “codild » be
jraade of the missing persons, but.
hit was known that a dozen or more
had not been, accounted , for.

! Early this afternoon the etews
‘hail searched only the edges of
the huge pile of debris, and it was
feared: many more Wodics would
be found: teward| the center.

Tt was. feared \that a crew of
‘seventern negroes|who were work-
ing incthe center\of the buildin;
all wert, killed....T. OSCUG. CLEW!
had "ngt* been ahle! as yet to pet
to thé/piaee wiere the negros: had
been jorking.

It. was. known that fifteen per-
sons were injured, several of
whom may dic. They were all
[taken to a hospital here as they
were extricated: from the Lal
structure, oa

Excavation work at aciearby
“building was gencrally! assigned
us the cause: of the collapse of
the bank buildings "It was known
that several pefsons wert: in a
i grocery store and ‘h-tailor’s shop
which were a ‘part of the build-
; (hg, but it was—expected: ‘to che
| hours befate t part of tm:
tstructure—eould—pe-searched d-ther
oughly. » at Beak 5,

   
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

  

 

 

 
 