Four dead after Silver Fern derailed

Press, 19 August 1981, Page 1

Four dead after Silver Fern derailed

PA Waiouru Four people are confirmed dead and 21 were injured after the Silver Fern railcar left the track about 2km west of Waiouru about 2 p.m. yesterday.

Three bodieswererecovered by 7 p.m. and emergency services were working on recovering the fourth victim trapped in the wreckage. The northbound railcar with an engine and one carriage left the track on a sharp bend just out of Waiouru. It is believed 70 passengers were aboard. The worst injured were flown by helicopter to Wanganui Hospital. The driver survived the crash, but was injured. The names of the dead and injured would not be released until today, said Superintendent B. K. Dean, of the Wanganui police, last evening. 1 A team of 10 policemen was last night manning a hastily established disaster centre at the Wanganui Police Station to identify the dead and inform next-of-kin. Hundreds of calls were received from families and friends throughout New Zealand and overseas. Overseas tourists were among the 70 passengers. The policeman in charge at the scene, Constable Brian Foote, of Waiouru. said he was told of the accident soon after 2 p.m. and Army, fire and police personnel arrived at the crash site soon after 3 p.m. The Army, including medical staff, came from the nearby Waiouru Military Camp. Constable Foote was satisfied everybody alive had been rescued. The railcar ended up 10 metres down a bank and on

its side, some distance from the tracks. Four Army recovery vehicles were used about 7 p.m. to winch the carriage back upright so that one of the victims could be freed. The General Manager of the Railways (Mr T. M. Hayward) and the Assistant General Manager (engineering and development) (Mr R. Henare) were on the scene about dusk. Mr Hayward said it was too early to predict a cause or say if an inquiry would be held. Asked if there would be an inquiry, he said: “Let us have a look round the accident scene first.” The Railways four-man investigating party paid particular interest to the bogies and the joins in the track leading to the bend where the railcar came off. Mr Hayward confirmed the driver had. survived, but was hurt. He said it was a “big shock to everyone, especially to us in the Railways.” He predicted that the Main Trunk line would be reopened as soon as the Army winches holding the carriage got clear sometime late last evening. The carriage was found to be badly damaged on its belly after being righted. All the windows and a door on one side were smashed. Generator-driven floodlights were set up above the crash site to illuminate the rescue efforts. Firemen and medical staff

worked on top of the carriages with cutting equipment to free the trapped passengers. With torches they probed the wrecked interior of the carriages. Last evening the police said the carriages would remain under guard until daylight. Senior-sergeant G. Faulkner, of Taihape, said he was satisfied with the whole rescue effort, especially the Army’s role. He said police from Taihape, Ohakune, Raetihi, and Waiouru were among the 95 emergency staff drafted into the area. The Associate Minister of Transport' (Mr Malcolm) arrived at the crash scene at 7.30 p.m. to join Mr Hayward. The Waiouru camp commander, Lieutenant-Colonel L. Grant, described yesterday’s Army involvement as its biggest civilian disaster call out since Tangiwai. Fifty Army personnel were sent to the crash site and other units remained at the base to assist the rescue work. Yesterday’s Wellingtonbound express stopped at Ohakune and returned to Auckland last evening with passengers from the crashed train. Today’s Auckland to Wellington trip will be taken over by the Endeavour which usually travels the WellingtonNapier run. Converted railcar carriages will replace the Endeavour. Yesterday’s Silver Fern accident was the third involving the prestigious railcar in nine months. In May this year the northbound Silver Fern was involved in a level-crossing accident at Paraparaumu in which the priest and former broadcaster, Mr Peter Latham, was killed. In December last year a sheep truck crashed into the railcar at Bunnythorpe. Several train passengers suffered minor injuries and many of the 200 lambs in the trailer were killed instantly. The driver of the truck was later convicted of driving offences. Railwaymen are still repairing that railcar, which was extensively damaged at the front. The railcar is not expected back in service until October. There are three Silver Fern railcar. units. With yesterday’s crash, there is now only one in running order. The Minister of Railways (Mr McLachlan) has expressed shock at the Silver Fern crash and has extended sympathy to those involved in the accident. In a brief press conference at Parliament Buildings, Mr MacLachlan said he knew no more about the disaster than

he had heard on the news and from reporters. Asked if the New Zealand Railways could be considered safe after two serious crashes in the Wellington railway yards within the last two years. Mr McLachlan said ... “In any system of transport there is always likely to be accidents.” . The Railways Department is obliged to hold an internal inquiry into crashes but Mr McLachlan said he could not say at this stage if a public inquiry would be held. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) has expressed the “very deep shock" of himself and his colleagues at the news of the crash. “The heartfelt sympathy of the Parliamentary Labour Party goes out to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives, or have suffered injury in this accident," he said.