UNDER A TRAM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 156, 3 July 1940, Page 8

UNDER A TRAM.

AMAZING ESCAPE.

QUEEN STREET ACCIDENT. MAN ONLY SLIGHTLY HURT. A miraculous escape from death or, at least, serious injury was experienced by a middle-aged pedestrian when crossing Queen Street, near the bottom of Shortland Street, shortly after two o'clock this afternoon. The victim was Mr. William Reynolds, of 138, Vincent Street, City. He was admitted to the hospital suffering from concussion. The entire extent of his injuries when being dragged from under a tram were abrasions to the head, injuries to the ankle and shook. He was taken to the hospital in a St. John ambulance. All that spectators could see was the end of the man's coat, the rest of his body being completely beneath the under-carriage of the forepart of the tram. By the use of the jack carried on trams for such emergencies he was extricated and received first aid attention from a number of bystanders, prominent among whom was a man in khaki. The accident happened so quickly that even those who saw it were unable to give a clear account of it. One pedestrian, who was first on the spot to give assistance, said that the victim was crossing the street, but was unable to say which way, when he slipped on the wet tram line*. In a flash he was dragged completely underneath the lifeguard at the front of the train, smashing it with the force of the impact.

The tram, which was "crawling" to a stop at the safety zone, was able to pull up almost immediately. Even the conductor could not say in which direction the victim was moving at the time. i