Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-12 00:00:00

APPALLING AND
FATAL' ~:ACCIDENT
IN.
GREAT GEORGE-STREET.

One of tho most fearful accidents that we have had, to

record for some time past took place, yesterday, in .Great

Vie-street, at a few Minutes past three o'clock, and
we regret to say that human life has been lost suddenly
in consequence.. Thank Goodness such frightful occur-
rences are rare in our northern metropolis, and we trust
that such an awful affair will not again happen. We
have not heard for a long time so much talk about any

occurrence, and certainly we have not witnessed more

excitement for years than prevailed from the time of the
accident up to a late hour last night, When the news
of the sad and fatal accident spread, which it did very
rapidly, through town, thousands flocked from all quarters
towards Great george-street to ascertain the fact. Some

tame from curiosity, and others from a different feeling.
It may be asked, why all this_ public excitement ? The

answer is, it arose:in consequence of a true report that
prevailed, to the" effect that the roof, &c., of the extensive
premises of Mr. Lewis, wholesale and retail draper,
haberdasher, &c., 113 and 115, Great Georg

street

had fallen in and killed many persons, at the same time
burying many others in the ruins. It was also stated

that many persons, who were in the shop at the time
making purchases, had been killed; and, of course, this
added to the public consternation, for any family who
had ladies out "shopping," and who heard of the

disaster, came to the conclusion that some of them, had
been there at the time of the fatal accident. < Cabs, full
of people in wild excitement, began to drive up, and
Persons of all classes, and from all quarters,were seen
rushing in all directions towards Great George-street,
and very soon the crowd of persons that assembled in
front of Mr. Lewis's premises was very great. It may
be necessary here to state the real cause of all this, and

Why so much fearful anxiety prevailed. Mr. Lewis's is
a Well known drapery establishment, and, resorted to by
a large class of customers. For some time past, altera-
tions on somewhat of an extended scale have been going
on in and about the premises. It seems, as far as we
could learn, that the shop was being extended backward
to a great depth, or length, in order to afford the increas-
ing business room. There were two walls at the rear of
of the shop, which are called " party walls," and it
appears that these were required to be taken down for
the purpose of the improvement. We are also told that
there was a stack of chimneys right in the centre of
these walls. From the best information we could collect.

it seems that the walls in question were being taken
down, and that the bricks, &c., werelaid on the adjoining
floors. We do not vouch for the fact, but we believe it

is correct. There was no danger apprehended, nor did
there any happen, from the, chimneys, as these were
lowered sufficiently; but it seems the walls were not
safe, and when the stays were removed they toppled over,
and fell on the floors where the bricks,- &c., were already
placed, and the consequence was that the flooring was
not able to sustain the weight, and all went crash through
the floors of the entire establishment. It is said the
shop was full of people at the time, and that the whole
of the upper part of the premises came down with fearful
noise, causing a scene much more capable of imagination
than of description. The upper floor, of course, increased
in weight and_velocity as it went on, and when it came
to the shop floor it carried all before it, and the floors,
with their contents, went slap into the cellar,.where, of
course, nothing could go further. When our reporter
saw it, it was one of the most fearful ruins he ever laid
eyes on, and he thinks (he hopes wrongfully) that there
must be some bodies yet buried under the heap of ruins.
The consternation that followed was truly awful—the
shopmen rushed from the place, half smothered and
covered with dust; the persons in the shops who were
Making purchases, did the same, and altogether the
Scene was heartrending. The work of destruction had
been done, and then it became necessary to get
out all who had been buried in the ruins. It so
happened that Inspector Dodd, of the police, with
about seventeen men, were going on duty towards the
Park, and were passing the house at the time the falling
of the roof took place. The inspector (with a degree of
promptness that entitles him to some substantial thanks),
at the head of his men, rushed to the spot, and began
dragging all the people they could lay hold on out of the
rains and we are told that Mr. Dodd, officers Stanford,
618 ; Little, 408 ; Brooksbank, 188 ; , Cole, 481; and
others, exerted themselves in a manner that defies all
Praise, and that their . exertions saved many lives.
Immediately on the alailn being given, and the word
Passed to the police stations, Chief-superintendents Quick
and Ride, Superintendent Walker, Inspectors Chew,
Tornilson, Nutter, Hough, and several others, with a
large body of men, were in quick attendance, and
rendered efficient services. The police officers, under the
example of their superiors, rushed every where, regardless
of consequences to themselves, and carried out all the
People they could find. They succeeded, very soon, in

extricating from the ruins four women, customers, four
shopmen, two men, who were engaged as workmen, dome
other persons, and two women, customers, who were
crushed to death, and whose bodies now lie at the
Southern Hospital, and up to ten o'clock last night were
not identified. Inspector Chew rescued a young lady
and conveyed her in a cab to her residence in Upper
Parliament-street, where she soon revived. It was—and
Indeed until the debris of the place is cleared away it
Is—impossible to say how many bodies may be buried in
the ruins. One of the youths, who was in the habit of
taking the cash at an elevated desk in. the shop, was
buried in the ruins, and about half past six o'clock his
body was discovered sitting in the same position as
When engaged at the desk. It is needless to
say that he was dead. Mr. Yevily, the architect,
Was in prompt attendance, and rendered good
service by advice and assistance. Mr. Newlauds, the
borough engineer, was also soon on the spot, and did all
he Could to prevent further accident. We must not
f?rget Mr. Hewitt, whose practical experience was of con-
siderable value in this very trying instance. Besides the
dead bodies, (we could not get their names) taken from
the ruins, there were about ten or more persons hurt,
Mme more, some less, but the extent of the injuries we
Could not ascertain in detail. It was rumoured that the
front of the premises were iu a dangerous, if not falling
state, and the consternation that followed was truly awful.
Immediately strong barricades were erected half across
the street, and at a considerable distance from each end
of the premises, so as to prevent accident, but Mr.Yevily
stated that the front and side walls of the house were
safe, and his statement proved correct. However, a very
large body of police kept the place in order. By half-
past six many thousand persons had collected about the
place, and the police had no easy task to keep the people
from pressing into the fallen premises. The public traffic
about this part of the street was quite done away with
and stopped. A great number of workmen were employed
in clearing out the debris, and propping up and
securing the walls and back portion of the house.
Of course we refrain to say a word in regard to the
rumours of all sorts that are afloat, in reference to this

Very unfortunate occurrence

NO man can of cour

deplore the melancholy accident more than Mr. Lewis,
whose business it has completely stopped. Every one
speaks in high terms of the conduct of the police officers
and men, and indeed of the public generally, who
exhibited an amount of exertion and sympathy very
creditable to all. The people who have lost their friends
in this calamity, will feel it most keenly. The bodies of
the two women, who lie at the Southern Hospital, belong
apparently to a respectable class of mechanics. We
trust no more bodies will be found amongst the ruins.
Up to a late hour last night the excitement continued,
and the crowd 9f people remained until after twelve
D'clock.