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 _
 
| Shelby, N. G, Aug. 28. (1
N.S.)—Light persons were
killed, 15 injured and an unde-
termined number are missing
in the collapse of the First Na-
tional Bank building during a
rush hour today,

The death tol! may rise as
three hours afler the crash
workmen had heen abled to
clear away (the debris only at
the edge of the building,

Police estimated the death  tott
would mount steudlly as rescue
crews dug deeper inta the debris in
the search of bodies,

No aveurate check up could be
muade of the missing persons, but it
was known that a dozer or more
had net heen accounted for.

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

Te was feared that a crew_ of
seventeen negroes who were worke
ing in the center of the building
were all killed The rescue crews
had not heen able as vet in get to
the place where the negroes were
work lag.

Ht was huown that fifteen per-
sons were jnfured, several af shon
inty dio, ‘They were all taken ta 2
hospital were as they were evtract-
ed From the fallen structare.

Excavation work at a nearhy
building was generally assigned ax
the re of the collapse of the
link building, 1t was kuown that
several persmis were in a grocery
and a tatlor’s shop whieh were a
part of the building, but [t was
pected to be hours hefere that part
of the structure could be searched
Lheroughly,

The collapse seeurred during a
lsh hour on this Hitie town's main
thoroughfare, aud it was helleved
that severat persons fn the street
were trapped under the deluce of
stone awd timber,

The entire fire and police forces
rere taxed ta capacliy in control
fnz the crowds, Many voluntiers
lided fy the rescue aperations, ,

The buitting was located in a
msy district, and was one of the
argest In the town,

 

 

 

 

  
 