SHOCKING TRAM ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 81, 7 April 1902, Page 2

SHOCKING TRAM ACCIDENT.

A SYDNEY MOTOR DERAILED

SYDNEY, March 28. A sensational tram accident occurred at North Botany yesterday, when, through a motor leaving the rails, the driver, Christopher Mead, 41, lately residing at Alexandria, was killed, and the fireman, Horace Blaney, 36, of Paddington, severely injured. The tram was proceeding along Botany road when the accident happened. It had left the stopping place at Coward street, and was travelling at a fairly fast rate on the level line to King street, and had gone about half-way Avhen the engine shot off the rails. The wheels dug deep into the roadway, but the motor still forged ahead, carrying two cars with it and scattering blue metal in all directions. Upon reaching the slope of the road it sank on one side. ; and then overturned. The cars, however, stood upright, and the few passengers on board had a wonderful escape. The men on the engine were entangled in the mass of wreckage. For some time they were hidden from view, owing to the escaping steam, and intense excitement prevailed amongst the onlookers. Eventually the two men were hauled from the debris, and it was soon seen that they were both in a serious condition. The driver was terribly scalded from head to foot, whilst the fireman was unconscious. The latter was taken into a neighbouring house, and an examination showed that his ribs were badly crushed and his body bruised in many places. Blaney, who is married, is expected to recover. The driver, Mead, was placed in a citybound tram and removed to the Sydney Hospital. He succumbed shortly before 5 p.m. He was a married man. and leaves a wife and seven children. No reason can be assigned for the derailment, the line for some considerable distance being extremely leveL