ACCIDENTS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20089, 19 November 1930, Page 17

ACCIDENTS.

CAR OVERTURNS AND I CATCHES FIRE. | BREAK IN STEERING COLUMN. An oxtrcmcly lucky escape from what might have been serious injury, or worse, was experienced by seven menon Monday, when the motor-car in which they were travelling overturned and caught fire. The accident occurred some miles past Yaldhurst, on the West Coast road, and it was caused by the breaking of the rod loading from the steering-wheel. The car, a closed-in Nash, was driven by the owner, Mr C. J. Jones, of Packer and Jones, Ltd. The passengers were six workmen, employed by the J.J. Construction Company. About 10.15 o'clock on Monday morning Mr Jones had reached a point some miles from Yaldhurst, on his way to catcli the train at Springfield. Suddenly Mr Jones discovered that the steering-wheel offered no resistance. lie attempted to turn it, and it spun round. A telegraph pole was perilously near, and Mr Jones jammed on his brakes. The car mounted the bank at the side of the road, smashed against the fence, and turned over on to its side. Almost immediately the car was on fire. The running-board of the upturned side of the car was encumbered by luggage, and the passengers might have been trapped. But Mr Jones struggled to cut a hole through the roof with his pocket knife. Through this, the men scrambled out, and they in turn assisted Mr Jones. By great luck nono of them had suffered a scratch, but the car was a mass of flames, and was soon a charred wreck. The accident occurred by the side of the property of Mr Guiney, on the i Yaldhurst road. Working ut the time in the vicinity, Mr Guiney heard the crash, and immediately afterwards saw a column of black smoke rise into the air. lie hurried in that direction, and was able to render assistance to Mr Jones and his party. Discussing the accident with a reporter of Thk Press yesterday, Mr Jones said that he had been driving since 1008, but never in all his experience had he encountered a mishap of the same type. "We were exceptionally lucky," he said. "Quite plainly . the steering column snapped. The llaw must have been in it for a long time, and I would not like to think of what

would have happened if tho break had occurred as wo were rounding a steep bank somewhere on the Coast. Then you would have had a roal accident story." SERIOUS COLLISION. MAN KILLED; SEVEN PEOPLE INJURED. (PRSSS ASSOCIATION TEIiKGBAM.^ WELLINGTON, November 18. On© man lost his life, and seven other persons were injured, as a result oi two cars cominjj into collision early this morning on ihe Hutt road. A third car ran into one of tho wrecks, but nobody in this car ivaa hurt. The man who lost his life was Alfred ,J, Wiggs, of 136 Abel Smith street. The injured are:— Mr and Mrs Jorgenson, of Victoria street, Lower Hutt. Jorgenson hits slight injuries and shock, and his wife is badly hurt in the head, legs, and body. Norman Wallace, cuts on the head nnd an injured leg. Miss Hinds, head, leg, and bodily injuries. Henry Bigham, of Rakau road, Hataitai, cuts on the head and legs. Miss Findlater and Dr. Christina Findlitcr, «hock. At about 1.45 a.m. a car driven by Miss Ann Findlater, a dentist at the Public Hospital, who had as passengers her sister, Dr. FindJater, and Bigham, was proceeding towards the Hxvtt Valley, and came head on in collision, near Ngahauranga, with a car driven by Wiggs, who had as passengers the Jorgensons, Wallace, and Miss Hinds. Both cars were bndlv damaged, and many of the injuries of the passengers were caused by glass. Wiggs died on the way to tho hospital in the ambulance shortly after the collision. A car driven by Mrs Eva Divan ran into one of the wrecks. Her car was damaged, but she was uninjured. Further particulars of the crash show that it occurred shortly beforo midnight. Wiggs was a retired Civil servant, aged 53. Miss Hinds resides at Island Bay. Mrs Jorgenson ie injured about the head, body and legs, and her Addition is somewhat serious. Norman Wallace resides at 90 The Terrace. Anna Findlater nnd her sister ire both resident at Lower Hutt. Wnl- . loco is a reader on the staff of the "Evening Post.''

Miss Fmdlater's car is a complete wreck. Hie body was knocked right back, the radiator being forced back upon the engine, which, in its turn, is pressed back into the driver's compartment. The wheels were smashed ofF at the hubs and the steering column was left bare. The right side of Wiggs's car was torn practically clean away, evidently having received the impact just behind the driver's seat. SCAFFOLD COLLAPSES. SEVEN MEN INJURED. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, November 18. A message from Cromwell says that as a result of a section of scaffolding at tho Pottelburn dam collapsing, seveii men were admitted to the Dunstan Hospital this morning. Four of the men, W. Mason (Alexandra), G. Creighton (Mosgiel), Thorpe (Dunedin), and' E. Collett (St. Bathans), have been detained at the hospital suffering from broken ribs. It is thought that two of the men are seriously injured. No further particulars are available at present. KILLED BY TRACTOR. (PBXSB ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, November 18. June Winifred .Golder, aged eight years, of Ptort Chalmers, was run over by a motor-tractor and billed this afternoon. With another schoolgirl. she was running after a tractor I'ho driver warned them of the danger and did not see them again until he heard a cry and discovered that the girl had fallen under the trailer. It ia thought that the child tripped over a stick. BROKEN LIMBS. (rHESS J.SSOCIATIOH TELEGKA.M. I WELLINGTON, November 18. Xii the second division riders' race at the opening of the speedway last evening, V. liinaldi was sent to hospital with a broken thigh and H. D. Philip was sent to hospital with a broken leg.