Evening star., 1947-08-19
CadizB|astDead
Put at 400, Loss
At$10,000,000
12O Children and Nuns
Believed Killed in
Orphonoge Collapse
BY the Assoeioted Press

CAD1Z, Spain, Aug. 19.-More
than 400 persons were estimated
by newspapermen here today to
have been killed when a Spanish
naval torpedo plant exploded
last night, wrecking a residential
section, an orphange, a hospital
and a factory.
Earlier estimates had placed the
injured at several thousand and the
property damage at $10,000,000.
Official censorship was placed In
effect near the scene of the explo-
sion on the narrow Cadiz Peninsula
about miles from the center OF
the ancient city of 10000.
Troops patrolled the area and
barred reporters from the disaster
zone. The film of three Spanish
photographers who had entered the
area was conflscated.
An ocean mine factory and a
warehouse went up with the torpedo
plant. The ruin was so complete
that no clue to the cause of the
explosion was left.
120 Feared Dead in Orphanage.
The collapsed orphanage was
known as La Casa Cuna. Most of
the 120 children and nuns were
believed dead, buried in the debris
An unknown number of patients
were believed to have died similarly
in the Madre de Dios Hospital,
caved in'by the explosion.
About 100 workers were believed
entombed under wreckage of small
factory near the arsenal.
Thousands of Cadiz residents
crowded near the stricken area seek
ing word of friends or relatives.
Telephone calls over restored lines
still were limited mostly to officials.
(The United States Embassy in
Madrid had received no word of
any American resident being
killed or injured. Paul Culbert-
son, American Charge d'Affaires,
sent the Vice Consul from Sevilla
to the sceneD
Resulting fires destroyed the
Echevarrieta and Larrinaga ship
yards.
Buildings were damaged and win
dows shattered throughout this
ancient port city of 10000, which
was left without water, electricity
and railroad or highway communi-
cations.
Cadiz Buildings Cracked.
The force of the explosion cracked
buildings in the heart of Cadiz
Street cars were derailed. The huge
doors Of the Cadiz Cathedral we're
torn from their hinges.
The explosion came at 10 o'clock
last night.
The heaviest casualties and dam
age were believed to be in the
summer colony and residential dis
trict of San Severiano, which is
near the submarine naval base in
the neck of the narrow peninsula.
Spanish authorities announced
no estimate of the casualties. Re-
porters said most of the injured
they saw had been cut by flying
glass or were bruised by falling
debris.
The Jerez de la Frontera radio
station, IS miles to the north, broad
cast appeals throughout the night
for doctors, nurses and medicines.
Ambulances and rescue teams were
arriving from as far east as Malaga,
west from Huelva and north from
Sevilla.
Prominent Persons Feared Hurt.
The population of the San Sew
eriano district, which received the
full force of the explosion, was
about equally divided between sum-
mer vacation transients and work.
ers.
Many prominent persons who live
In chalets along the peninsula coast
were expected to be among the in
jured.
Eduardo CALICO de la Cuesta,
president of the council of state,
was reported injured slightly.
Some of the costliest damage was
expected at the Echevarrieta ship
yards. The new naval training
ship, Juan de Austria, which was
about ready for launching, was de-
stroyed by fire. Many smaller boats
also burned.
EvneIn$inn ~ por%ion