by Ray Smithies
On this occasion Bradbury decided to take his coffee mug back to the front office to complete some administrative task. The next scheduled order would be arriving within quarter of an hour, in addition to the unannounced clients who seem to frequent the premises at will. Make the most of this quiet period, thought Neville as he sipped away at the hot chocolate.
Two chattering young women patronising Maxim’s Coffee Lounge were sitting at a table diagonally opposite Broadbent Warehouse. Over latte and croissants, they appeared totally engrossed in conversation and oblivious to their surrounds. On an adjacent table four seemingly retired men, all dressed in their traditional bowling whites, were enjoying their morning cappuccinos prior to the Thursday ritual. The remainder of Maxim’s customers were made up of a small family in one corner and two middle-aged women who had just been served tea and raisin toast. The morning sun beamed through the cafe’s floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows, bringing penetrating warmth to enhance their short stay.
The occasional person walked by on Covert Road, while two painters complete with trestles and planks were preparing to strip a timber surface from the first storey of a nearby building. A girl of around five was playing hopscotch on a freshly chalked pathway, while a young woman, presumably her mother, stood nearby talking to some elderly gentleman.
A street sweeper had all but disappeared down Covert Road, its maneuvers incorporating the repetitive action of spinning brushes and water spray. Cars occupied every available parking bay and a couple of service technicians were attending to a light pole that was in need of some minor electrical repair. A further courier van had just pulled into the warehouse that would invariably interrupt Bradbury’s mug of chocolate. All appeared to be quite normal and routine on this particular morning. Then without warning the inevitable happened.
At precisely 9.42 am Broadbent Warehouse exploded with immense force. The blast produced a low rumbling noise with horrific suddenness and ferocity. The explosion was so destructive and powerful it shook the earth similar to that of an earthquake. Everything in a radius of half a block was immediately affected, with varying consequences.
Due to Broadbent’s having a covered courtyard that extended from the roof at the rear end of the building, the effects of the explosion were greatly intensified. This excessive energy was brought about by the confinement of explosive force within the warehouse and the resultant convergence of directional force. This immense power increased the blast effect, to the point where the bottom half of the building was literally blown out, resulting in the upper portions collapsing on everything beneath it. The overall force of the explosion lifted the entire building, segregating the base of its upright concrete pillars, which were encased with metal strengtheners. The building then imploded, collapsing toward its weakest point.
An enormous cloud of smoke and dust instantly filled the surrounding area. Covert Road had been transferred into a blanket of dense fog and an eerie silence immediately followed the explosion. From across the road, Maxim’s Coffee Lounge had caught the brunt of the shock-wave, blasting the front windows and sending every conceivable object hurdling towards its rear wall.
Not content with Maxim’s alone, the horrendous power of the shock-wave slammed against the face of the neighbouring businesses like the force of a speeding locomotive. Buildings shook, and a street light pole torpedoed through the front office of an office block.
On Covert Road, flying glass and bricks filled the street, their deadly missiles randomly selecting any nearby target. Dust and light debris remained suspended in the air for a number of minutes. The immediate area had suddenly been transformed into some horror from hell.
The sound of crying began to replace the initial silence. The violent energy from the blast had finally expended, with dust and debris now beginning to settle. The scene could only be described as subdued chaos. Shock would shortly make way for hysteria, for the aftermath had left a picture of severe injury, death and destruction.
A man totally covered in thick dust and blood emerged from a nearby building. So bloodied was his body, it seemed impossible the man was still standing. Limping forward with what appeared to be a broken jaw and glass embedded deeply in one thigh, he was impossible to identify. He simply gazed around at the horrific scene. Human flesh, bones, teeth and building debris were scattered across the pavement and splattered against windows, walls, cars and various signage. Dumbstruck at the magnitude of the impact, the man was traumatised at the sight of two mutilated bodies lying face down on the roadway.
A young girl playing hopscotch was literally hurled through the air, her body incurring the full impact of Broadbent’s exploding front brick wall. Her tiny and fragile frame was quickly punished by the flying debris. She landed heavily on the Covert Road bitumen, leaving only a mangled torso as her only means of identification. A further two people coming from opposite directions slowly materialised as they stepped forth through the remaining dust. They stopped and stood motionless in the middle of the mayhem, and like their predecessor, stared in disbelief at the horrors that were way beyond human comprehension.
Broadbent’s appeared to be ninety percent gutted. Very little of the structure remained standing. In the most remote parts of the warehouse, portions of walls and roofing were still intact, where possibly some survivors may have sheltered from the onslaught of collapse and flying debris. Not immune from the devastation, the blast had also inflicted considerable damage to both the neighbouring tyre and furniture store outlets. Situated directly opposite, Maxim’s and two further premises all incurred varying degrees of structural damage, the most noticeable being cracked walls to all three frontages. A number of vehicles parked along Covert Road were destroyed beyond recognition. Debris laid everywhere in accumulative piles and the search for survivors would soon become a priority.
Suddenly the air was filled with the shrilling noise of approaching sirens. The three distinct sounds of ambulance, fire and police were about to converge on this horrific aftermath. From the top end of Bridge Street two ambulances could be seen, their speed rapidly decreasing on reaching the outer perimeters of the affected area. Crawling forward, the vehicles progressed to the closest possible vantage point to ensure survivors would be taken to hospital from a convenient distance.
The initial reaction from paramedics was predictably one of shock, despite their experience in attending life-threatening situations. But this was different and totally alien to any previous medical rescue they had encountered. Although surrounded by this horrendous aftermath, the paramedics instantaneously swung into action. A selection of medical supplies and four stretchers were retrieved from the ambulances and placed in the middle of the roadway. An immediate assessment of visible survivors and fatalities followed.
Amidst the abundance of flying debris and dust that had settled in Covert Road, four unrecognisable and partially decapitated male bodies could be seen lying on the bitumen in a deplorable state. The soiled and bloodied clothing suggested their trades to be service technicians and painters. Whimpering and screams could be heard coming from the adjoining buildings, but until the fire brigade gave their clearance for entry, attendance to street survivors would remain priority. A cry for help could be heard coming from beneath a pile of rubble, diagonally across from where a warehouse roller door once operated. In their desperate attempt to reach the voice, one of the medics accidentally stepped on a severed hand belonging to what appeared to be an adult male. Ignoring the gross and unsightly consequence, the paramedics frantically commenced clearing the debris to free the troubled person.
On reaching the outstretched arm of a young woman still half-buried amongst building deposits, the sound of a fire engine braked to a stop having approached from the Pitt Street end. Like their paramedic colleagues, the firefighters immediately put into practice their well-drilled procedures. Finally freed amidst the pile of rubble, the young woman was bleeding profusely and trembling with sheer terror. Although unable to make sense of her distorted speec
h, the firefighters gained the impression that she wanted to find someone. She was in urgent need of hospital treatment.
Initially bypassing the extreme devastation to Broadbent’s, the firemen proceeded toward the adjoining and adjacent buildings. Their first decision was to give the paramedics clearance to attend the trauma coming from these premises. The interior of Maxim’s had incurred the full brutal force of the shockwave. Two young women who were previously sitting toward the front of the coffee lounge had been subjected to the full impact of exploding glass. One lay face down and motionless on the floor, her head impaled by a large piece of windowpane. Her friend, showered by smaller glass fragments, sat beside her crying in uncontrollable distress.
Four elderly men who had been thrown unmercifully against the back wall appeared to have life-threatening injuries. Their bowling whites had turned blood red and they were smothered in layers of building dust. Others simply lay dazed or wandered around the room groaning in pain. It was a deplorable sight for the firefighters to witness prior to the medics intervening. The structural inspection of Maxim’s was declared sound despite the notable zigzag cracks which had formed on the front brickwork. Similarly, the remaining affected premises to the south of the roadway were given the all clear.
To the warehouse side of Covert Road the buildings weren’t so fortunate. Firefighters attending to this row immediately established an exclusion zone around the weakened structures of Broadbent’s adjoining premises - Stamford Tyres and Henderson’s Furniture. Stamford’s, in particular, was noticeably affected because it shared an abutting wall. Both premises were on fire, possibly brought about by either exposed gas or electricity lines. Without warning, a section of wall collapsed to the rear end of Stamford’s. The weakened structure fell in slow motion, as if defying the laws of gravity. The sound of isolated voices could then be heard above the general noise of the mayhem.
So severely affected were these two neighbouring establishments, the firefighters called on the use of thermal imaging cameras to assess the whereabouts of the heat source. Given these dangerous circumstances, the use of infrared would greatly assist to enable an effective and rapid response. Knowing the location of the most dangerous and hottest part of the fire would determine the appropriate safe passage to be taken, in addition to avoiding structural damage that otherwise could go undetected. Ceilings and floors had become dangerously weakened, not only from the explosive blast but also from the introduction of fire damage. People were trapped and it had become a priority for the firefighters to clear a passageway for the medics to quickly attend to these survivors.
Next door a further two firefighters were assessing Broadbent’s. It was no more than a pile of rubble, except for two remote areas which remained partially intact. A couple of small, isolated, smouldering fires appeared to present no immediate threat. Four bodies lay crushed beneath the massive weight of fallen debris. Death would have been instant, thought one of the firefighters as he looked down on the unfortunate people. A fifth person, barely recognisable, showed signs of life by slowly moving an arm when approached.
The young firefighter called for the medics but his decision to seek immediate assistance was a mistake. A further danger and life-threatening situation confronted those who ventured onto the Broadbent’s premises. During the collapse of the building the neutral line to supply power had been severed. As a result of the warehouse lacking adequate earth, all the electrical circuits began to overheat and start a series of spot fires. Exposed cable now lay in wait for the unsuspecting person. The firefighter mistakenly believed that the smoldering effect had been started by the dynamite blast. He desperately went in search of the medics who were attending the injured from a neighbouring site.
In the meantime a crowd of onlookers had gathered at both ends of Covert Road. The police had immediately sealed the area, allowing only essential services to pass their boundary lines. People watched in stunned disbelief, some overtaken with emotion in their fear that a family member or friend was caught up in the turmoil.
With clearance finally granted to the east side of Covert, the paramedics and police proceeded to carry out their respective duties. The medics, understandably, were given priority to immediately assess the general condition of survivors.
Within the furniture store two people lay trapped beneath some collapsed roofing. The delicate process of removing debris without causing further injury had commenced. The two who lay in wait appeared to be badly shaken, but following a brief prognosis they were considered to have only minor cuts and abrasions. They were the luckier ones amidst this act of butchery.
A small fire had been doused before it took hold of the combustible material that lay in abundance throughout the store. The overall condition of Henderson’s looked decisively vulnerable, particularly the remaining sidewall facing Broadbent’s, which looked as if it might collapse at any time. The central area of the furniture store had caved in, bringing down a sizeable section of roof. The rear wall had inherited a large gaping hole, which undoubtedly would raise concerns about the structural strength of the building. The medics were well aware that a quick rescue and retreat was mandatory.
The scene awaiting the paramedics at Stamford Tyres provided a much different type of challenge. Here was a building that incurred considerably more damage. The sidewall attached to Broadbent’s had been totally blown out, causing more than sixty percent of the roof to collapse. Additionally, half the rear wall had disintegrated, contributing to the pile of debris that had accumulated throughout the premises. Spot fires had been extinguished and the place resembled a mixture of disaster and confusion.
Most of the Stamford employees had been caught in the collapse, with fate still hanging in the balance. Three people were pinned under the collapsing roof, one appearing to show no sign of life. A fourth person, who had possibly freed himself from the debris, was attempting to move away the rubble to reach his fellow workers. Covered in dust and bleeding profusely from the head, he had a noticeable tear in his eye from the abnormity of the ordeal. The medics set about freeing his colleagues, with stretchers placed in line to take the casualties to the waiting ambulances. One person was pronounced dead.
Having been alerted to a possible sole survivor on the Broadbent site, Forbes and three of his men followed the paramedics over the demolished battleground. He was also aware that those responsible for this carnage could detonate a secondary explosion. It was a method tried and proven by numerous extremists to kill both the police and emergency workers. Caution was paramount.
On reaching the corpses, three bodies were immediately identified as being Neville Bradbury and two of his staff. An unknown fourth victim wore a courier top. The bodies were crushed and covered in thick dust. Ironically a coffee mug lay unaffected beside one of the bodies.
Given the unlikelihood of finding anyone alive, one of the medics was astounded to detect movement, ever so slight, to his right beneath a pile of collapsed roofing. Within three metres of the survivor a soft groaning noise could be heard. The medics commenced the careful removal of rubble and revealed a man with horrific and multiple injuries. The left arm appeared fractured, and there was the possibility of a broken pelvis. To add further complications, the right leg was crushed as a result of incurring the impact of the collapsed roof. The man grimaced with pain as the debris was removed from his soiled body.
Forbes and Marsh stepped forward to take a closer look at this unfortunate person. Marsh then realised who they were looking down on.
‘It’s young Danny Murdock!’
As he was carefully being placed on a stretcher the young man raised his right hand on hearing his name.
‘My god, you’re right,’ acknowledged Forbes.
‘Hang in there, Danny. You’re in good hands now.’ Marsh was clearly upset at seeing the extent of the young man’s injuries.
Contrary to Marsh’s encouraging words, the danger was still very much present. Unbeknown to the rescue team a further crisis was about to
unfold. Up ahead and directly in the paramedics’ path, an exposed and live power wire lay in wait to inflict its fatal blow. Step by step the medics carried young Danny closer to the lethal cable. Within three paces from probable electrocution, a spark instantaneously lit up the surrounding area. A distinct crackling noise accompanied the electric spark, making the ever-alert Marsh look toward the sound.
Realising the immediate danger, he roared at the top of his voice, ‘Stop! No one move!’
Shocked by the detective’s sudden outburst, the two paramedics immediately obeyed the command. The front medic carrying the stretcher then realised the importance of the Marsh’s warning. The darkened cable blended well with its surrounds, making the exposure almost impossible to detect. Both paramedics then noticed a sudden snake-like movement impelled by an unexpected power surge. The two men retreated a few steps with the stretcher to analyse a different route. Finally and with a great deal of care, safe passage to the roadway was invariably found. Forbes was immediately on the phone to the power company to have the problem resolved.
~ * ~
Emily had phoned me with the terrible news. She had looked on the destruction in utter horror, for never had a scene reflected so much despair.
‘It’s shocking, Tom. There are dead people lying around and some of the buildings have been destroyed.’
