 This led to the prisoners either charging or appearing to charge the guards, who opened fire with rifles, sub-machine guns and pistols.A burst of fire of 15–30 seconds (accounts differ) killed 31 prisoners with a further 17 dying of wounds (total 48) with over 70 wounded.On the New Zealand side, a ricochet from a burst of the gunfire killed Private Walter Pelvin, and several other soldiers were injured by rocks.