Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-04-10
Spectators Stand on Foot Ball
Grounds Collapsed During a
Game.
TWENTY.ONE WERE KILLED
Injured More Deaths Expected
Game Allowed to Proceed
Prevent Panic on Grounds.

Glasgow, April 6.-The casualty lists Of
the disaster at Ibrox Park where a NUM-
Der of persons we're killed or injured by
the oollapsing of 81 ectators stano, our
ms the foot ball match yesterday after
noon between Englend and Scotland nave
been completed to-dFy.
The disaster resulted In the death OF q
PERSONS and the injury of two hundred and
fifty Nearly two hundred III the latter
were 80 seriously hurt that they were TAX
en- to int'rmaries fti operations ana treat
ment, where one hundred and fifty OF them
still remain. Sever al more deaths un-
uoubtedly will result
| To-day the infrna1es are beseiged by
| friends and rela tives of TIE victims of the
disaster, and heart rel dina scenes were
witnessed when the names of those who
died to-day were posted outside tho build
| ings.
| The action of the authorities at Ibrox
! Park in avertng a mere general panic by
permitting the gaTe to proceed creating
the impression that the accident was not
ser ious, Is row generally commended.
TIE incorsruity of the yeils OF applause
mineline with the groans of the struggling
sufferers will never be forgotten by those
who witnessed the scene at the rear OF
the terrace
When the game began 10000 spectators
were on the ground and an immensa
crowd had gathered outside. Being unable
to obtain admittance. this crowd brokt
down some of the barriers and swarmea
upon the field, whereupor the police
charged and drove the intruders back upor
the terraces and seats The railing dividing
the crowds were broken and the peoplf
were thrown over each other In the
frantic struggle toward the exits the
pressure toward the upper portion Of tht
westerly terrace was so great than 100 fee
of the highest part Of the structure
collapsed under the weight of the crowt
| driven upon 1t, throwing the mass OF peo
pile to the ground. 90 feet below. The In
jured were piled in heaps, wedged in with
broken timbers.
The onlookers hesitated to approach tn
dangling structure at first, but finally be
gan to utilize portions OF the broken bar
riers as stretchers. A hundred OF the mos
seriously injured were carried to the pa
vlion and to spaces in the rear of thu
stands, majority Of the victims are SUI
fering from broken ribs and fractured
limbs, while some sustained internal in
juries. Those most severely hurt were late
removed in ambulances to intirmaries. an,
the lesser sufferers were sent in cabs t.
sMrgeries.
An investigation shows that the break
down Of the terrace had begun before thu
structure was subjected to its scveres
strain, and 1t Is now believed that the fna
collapse was caused more directly by tn
efforts of those nearest the first breal
than by the additional weight Of those wht
rushed upon the stand from below. Tht
terrace, although supported by iron grid
ers, swayed and cracked ominously unde
Its frantic occupants.
The fallen portion is 100 feet long and 9
feet wide, and contained IL tiers of seats
The injured, In many cases. were lying nv
or six deep, and it Is considered marvellous
that there were not more fatalities. ON
man hung by his boot, which caught in
splntered beam, head downward, 30 fee
above the ground. Finally, his boot wa
cut. and the man dropped into a shee
below.
The strangest feature of the affair i
the fact that the crowd in the other part
of the grounds failed entirely to realiZ
the extent OF the disaster. and the gam
was played to a finish, resulting in draw