CROSSING FATALITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 26, 12 November 1935, Page 7

CROSSING FATALITY

DEATH OF A MORVEN FARMER. HIS WIFE SERIOUSLY INJURED. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 11. A man was killed, his wife very gravely injured, and another man badly injured in an accident at the Middleton railway crossing about mid-day to-day. They were travelling to the Riecarton races when their car ran into an inward bound race train on the crossing. These involved were: Mr Martin Joseph Crowe, farmer, of Morven, killed. Mrs Crowe, seriously injured. Mr E, W. Pidgeon, Bealey Avenue, Christchurch, injured. To-night Mrs Crowe is deeply unconscious and in a grave condition, suffering from terrible injuries to her head.

There were no witnesses of the accident, but available information is that the car was following another car north along the Middle Lincoln Road. The first car stopped while an outward bound train passed oyer the Middleton crossing. An inward train was approaching at the same time, but was obscured from the view of the second car by the outward train. The first car got across just in time, but the second was moving on to the crossing just as the outward train’s guard’s van cleared it and was struck on the bonnet by the second train. The car was swung so violently that the three passengers .were thrown out. Mr Crowe fell partly under the engine and was dragged along with his body caught in the driving rods until tho engine was pulled up just oyer the cattle stop. His body was dreadfully mutilated. Mrs Crowe was probably thrown against the train and was very badly injured. Mr Pidgeon was injured, but was sitting up before workmen rushed to the crossing to give aid.

Men working nearby said that both trains whistled loudly on approaching the crossing, and that neither tho car nor the train was travelling at a fast speed. It seems certain that the accident occurred because tho driver’s sight of the second train was ob«scored by the outward bound train. There is no warning signal or keeper at tho crossing. During the last 12 days four persons have been killed and four injured on level crossings in and near Christchurch.

By ail unfortunate error in the telegram published yesterday, Mr Pidgeon was wrongly stated to be the victim of the fatality.