The Sun.
London, England, 1806-10-08 00:00:00

DRE,IDFL'L .10CIDE.VT AT CIIATIIA2II.

'We have already noticed the shocking accidept
which occured on the morning Of Thursday last,
in the ravelin on the' lett of Chatham lines. The
following is, a moreparticul4r account :
Iwo very-large brick arches;
,';w:,hich were built
for the purpose offormiOg a magazine, were fitiish-
ed on last Saturday week. ,On Wednesday the car-
penters were directed to ease ,down the, centring,
over which the arches were built, in order that the
brick-work might come to
,its bearings (an opera-
tion which, in large. buildings, is ,performed, at
least twice, but most generally three
,times, before
the frame-work is entirely taken away) ; this was
accordingly done ; and .onllursday,inorning, before
the Commanding Engineer .had. been on the spot,
the Workmen, in tbe.presence of two or three fore=
men of .the bricklayers. and carpenters, proceeded
under the arch, without having taken .the preeati-
‘ tion to see whether the brick-workliad followed
the frame, and instead of easing, ciol.vn„. began .to
remove the uprights whici supported the centring,
the consequence of which was,. that the whole„mass
of brick-Work , ..OVer. their heads, fell in with a
dreadful crash, 'and out of, ten persons, six civil
and four military carpenters, who were employed
in: this unhappy business,. eight ,were, crus4d; to
death; and i:tried in the ruins, and the other two
were with. Much difficulty . saved,. being much
bruised and lacerated.. The most prompt nwasures
were taken to.etaleavour. ;o.extricate the bodies of
the unfo;tunate sufferers ; but while the ,workmen
were clearing away.. the rubbish ;or that .purpose,
an-alarm was given, that.. the. remaining arch. was
falling i- and that they were, ; before they
could..proceed' with their:v./fit:lc, it was necessary',
that: the building should be secured; during this
state of: awful suspense, , one of she -poor fellows,
since'saved, and 'who Wa§ shattered andburied
in
the ruinsas- high as Alis,.chest, and in momentary
expectation of being again oven,vitelmed, kept, cry-
ing out, that; as an,aet of -illprey, S0111',; of the by-
standers.:would put an: end to his mierable exist-
ence. At the extreme ha-zard. of their lives, bow-,
ever;' some. fearless- and ,determined. men went to
his assistance,, and extricated. him from, his dreadful,
sitUation. As soon. as the ing arch was,se-,
cured, the workmen proceeded in their search, and
continued working by NY-hi* time they
found rive of the, bodies,. and ,:at, an early-hour. the
next morning the.remaining three were 5114 0ut...---
The bodies 'were conveyed to the Barrack Hospital,
and an inquest was: held -before J. Sp.II.I.ONS, Esq.
.one the Coroners of the
.county, whentliejury,
after a most dispassionate and unprejudiced inquiry
into every .cireumstance, gave aN• erditi of---.4c-
cidentid. Death. , .
_The piers on which the arch, was, built are stan&
frig,• and are perfetiy sound, and it is supposed, that
the remaining arch will stand secure.
Two of, the unfOrtunate people hate left widows
and large families); one Seven, the other five chil-
dren,. who are.reduced to the utmost distress by this
accident:
. .