The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-28 00:00:00

FIVE LIVES LOST BY THE FALLING OF
HOUSES.

An appalling accident occurred at Plymouth on
the evening of Thursday last by the falling of two houses
in Southside-strut, by which five children were killed and
five severely injured. The houses in question have been
untenanted for many months, and were in a very dilapi-
dated state, having been purchased by the commissioners for
lighting and improving the town for the purpose of widen-
ing the public thoroughfare, and the work of demolition
commenced on Tuesday last. No danger was apprehended ;
for, although there was no wall dividing the houses, and no
wall in front to support the beams, yet it was considered
that the uprights, or partitions, from floor to floor, would
' sustain the roof. Unfortunately, on Thursday morning
the heavy rain prevented the party from working, and
during the day a great number of boys amused themselves
by climbing and running over the floors and rafters of both
houses; but on Thursday evening the boys around and in
the premises were very numerous, and, notwithstanding
they were driven away, and cautioned u to the danger they
ran of felling and breaking their limbs, they re-assembled
again and again; and, about sir o'clock there were
not less than twenty in the houses, scampering about in all
directions. One lad named Griffiths was seen in one of the
upper floors with a hammer, knocking, it Is supposed, one
of the uprights which supported the roof, while now :and
then he was nen to be amusing himself by looking out of
one of the windows, smoking.

♦bout half-put six the neighbourhood was alarmed by a
tremendous crash, followed by a aloud of dust, and on the
letter clearing off, it appeared that the root of the premises
had fallen in and carried everything erupt the end wall with
it, a very large portion of the debris being across the street.
The shrieks and cries of those around soon told the dread-
ful tale that a number of children were buried in the ruins,
and with commendable alacrity a number of men cows.

maned removing the beams, fatten, lime, and stones,
and within a very short time, one body was seen under
a large mass of the timber. The unfortunate child
was frightfully cat, and life was totally extinct.
The men continued to work and to remove the stuff with
untiring energy for nearly two hours, till the whole mam
had been turned over, and the bodies of the following were
taken out, bet in each case not the least symptoms were
ezhibited et life .—Willbun Henry fitanbury, aged 12 years,
living in Southaide-street ; John Folland, aged 10 South-
side- street ; Edward Johns, aged 12, New-street; William
Henry Williams, aged 10, New-street; Richard Btibbs,
aged 9, New-street. Dr. Budd was on the spot, and saw
each of the bodies u they were taken out.
In addition to the above distressing list, the following
were removed more or less injured :--Jolts 8t la, 18, re-
siding( in Cambridge-street, to the hospital. The sou of
Mr. Millman, Southaide-street, aged 9 years; Jacob Myers,
about 11 years, in the same street ; and a fine youth, aged
about 16, the son of Mr. 8. Dyer, the pilot, who it appears
was walking by at the moment the accident inclined, and
a large ipiece of timber wounded him seriously on the
angle; and one or two others, whose names we could not
get, were slightly. injured. Beverel children bad very
narrow] escapes ; indeed, it is wonderful that many
more had not lost their lives. The lad Griffiths, escaped
uninjured, though he roust have fallen from the upper
floor ' • he wu flung into the street, with the mass of ma-
Oriels, got up, shook himself, and walked off.
A trawling lad named rye, who had been on the pre-
mien about ten minutes before they fell, says that there
were with him about twenty boys, and he saw Grifllthe
with a hammer knocking. He (Pye) called out that it was
time to cat, as there were only two poets left, and if they
did not mind they would have the whole down by the run.
He told them to come out, but they only laughed at him,
but as he believed that the houses would fall, he went
away, and he had scarcely got round the Quay, when he
heard that such was the case.