Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-10-06
FOLLOWS
CRASH; BODIES
Of IS REMOVED
Disaster Described as = a
Vision of He'll; !; Many
Are Severely Injured.
Fumes From Tunnel
Are Delaying Rescue
Work; Troops Called.

Paris, Oct. 5.-(By The Asso-
ciated Press.)-Many persons
are believed to be dead and
burning in the wreckage of a
read end collision Of two su-
lburban trains in the half mile
tunnel leading to the St. Lazare
railroad station.
At a late hour the total
known dead numbered Is.
Twenty persons are known to
have been seriously injured
and 60 others were slightly in-
jured. This, however, gives no
idea Of the extent of the dis
aster, because the firemen and
others engaged in the work of
rescue have been unable to get
any distance within the tun-
mel, owing to the gas fumes.
Seventeen coaches We're burning. and
firemen, almost helpless, were cutting
a hole through the roof of the tunnel
through the pavement of Rue de Rome,
hoping to create an upward draft in
order to allow the smoke and gas to
escape. Both trains were filled with
homeward bound commuters and au-
thorities say that anyone remaining in
the tunnel is almost certain to be dead.
Cause Unknown.
The collision occurred when the 5:52
train for the suburb. Mary le- Roi.
crashed into the rear end of train
for Versailles. which left minutes
earlier on the same track. but which
stopped inside the tunnel for some un-
explained reason. Cries for help. and
means were audible at both ends of the
tunnel
1t is feared that those who were
trapped in the burning wreckage may
never be identified as they surely
would be burned to cinder in the in
tense heat, yet unreaehed by the fire
men. who were directing streams of
water from both ends of the tunnel.
Later it was learned that the fire
started by explosions Of small illnmi1- |
ating gas tanks in the coaches of the /
.eleseoped train, The train for Ver-
sailes had stopped to repair brok-
N coupling When the collision oc- !
'urred hundreds Of injured were able |
o escape by running through the dark /
unnel along the track to both ends. |
Troops We're called out Immediately to |
the scene of the disaster.
The first spread rapidly and for a
ime cries of distress and moans of the |
lying were heard on all sides but these
inally were silenced, though the crack
ing of the blazing wood coaches could
till be heard
Few Escape.
The firemen under Colonel Hivert
we're not prepared for the barrage of
poisonous fumes which assailed them
s they reached the scene Finally they !;
ucceeded i'll playing four streams of I
rater on the last coaches at the st. |,
.aZare end of the tunnel, but these |,
1ere empty and not burning. while II
caches in the center of the tunnel
ar away from the firemen's efforts, |,
-ere burning fiercely. l.
At no time could they get closer I,
han 500 feet from the inferno. New
every now and then passen-
er with blackened face would come ,
traggling out. begging the helpless !,
remen. police and soldiers to enter
le tunnel and save those dying within. I
The minister of public works Nj. lie !
roquer. who was early on the scene
elping to direct the rescue work, de- !;
ribbed it as "a vision of hell" :
An American Red Cross unit was =
nong the first in the relief work.
The accident is said to have been ,
lie to the breaking of 9an airbrake pipe
IL the first train. and it is thought
'at the train following came into col
sion through faulty working of the
gnals.