MELWAY CATASTROPHE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 22 April 1908, Page 7

MELWAY CATASTROPHE.

' THIRTY-SEVEN DEATHS. ! ' A GRIM SCENE OF HORROR IN THE DARK. . ' : MANY PERSONS BURNED ALIVE.: ' EY TELEGRAPH— rRESS ASSOCIATION —COPnUGHT. ; Melbourne, April 21. A dreadful railway collision occurred late, last night near Braybrook Junction, where the Bendigo and Ballarat lines meet, about seven miles from Melbourne. A heavily-laden passenger train from Bentligo crashed into a train which had just arrived from Ballarat. At least twenty-seven persons on tho Ballarat train were, killed outright, and about a hundred others wero injured. It is tho most appalling disaster in. Victoria railway history. • The Beaidigo train dashed into the Ballarat train with . terrific force. The foremost carriages were smashed to matchwood, and tho wrecked cars imme-' diately caught fire, adding to the horror. A SPEED OF FIFTEEN MILES AN HOUR. Tho Bendigo train was drawn by two engines, and was travelling about fiftcon miles an hour. Tho drivers and firemen, escaped with'bruises. None of tho passengers on tho Bendigo train was injured. • " . Tho lino was strewn with wreckage and dead aaid wounded; women shrieked, and the cries of the injured were heartrending. .The noiso of tho collision was so groat that the whole neighbourhood was arousod.' Tho platform was quite dark, and it was impossible for tho injured passengers, as they rushed.up and down in their excitement, to avoid trampling . or tumbling over.the dead and wounded. BALLARAT TRAIN STRUCK BY THE BENDIGO. The collision occurred a little. before; 11 o'clock, Tho Ballarat train, running a little late, was just coming out of, the station when tho Bendigo train, which was drawn by two poworful engines, crashed into tho'rear of tho moving Ballarat train, which was going so, slowly that tho force of tho'impact was not losscnod to any considerable extent. ""The guards' van of the Ballarat train was splintered to pieces. Tho next • car—a second-class one—was also smashod to atoms, and the next, which, was a. ; ' first-olass carriago, was telescoped. ' Three oars which wore crowded,with passongers—some people having to stand, ' as tho compartments were so full—tcok fire, and a horrible scene was .witnessed. Dead and dying, were imprisoned within'the burning debris, and many, wbre practically burned to death before they could bo extricated! , THE PLATFORM LIKE A BATTLE-FIELD., At half-past eleven a' special train left Melbourne with a medical corps and ' equipment, and tho firo brigade sent out detachments'to'Braybrook. When tho relief train arrived at a quarter-past midnight the platform Vas found to be strewn with dead, and' wounded wero lying all over the place. \ The shrieks of the affrighted passengers when tho train collided,- the screams ' , 'of the women and children, and the groans of strong men in agony wero so . dreadful that tho; hardiest norves gavo way under the awful strain.' ' Ono man was lying groaning on the platform, moaning" Shoot me—shoot me, for God's sake! end my sufferings!" . Medical men wero promptly on tho spot, and rendered every ..assistance, though, of course, it was impossible to doal promptly, with so many people. The. . fire brigade put. out the burning carriages, and tho rescuers wpro then able to ' ■take some, tallies of the dead and wounded. , THE LATEST—SICNALS AND BRAKES. 'i ; : TIIO oorrooted list of the killed indicates a total' of thirty-seven. There aro about thirteen who are seriously injured, and many more who, have received lesser wounds, •'7: The Chief Commissioner ■of Railways states that thero appears .to be no ." question, that tho signals were against the Bendigo train. .. The njajit^was,,,-,';. clear, and the signals' wero .burning properly. , ; : The driver of the Bendigo train, Milburn, is reported to have stated V. that when ho ; noticed tho signals against him, the Westinghouse b!;a(tes refused ,to act. > Mi\ Tait states that shortly after the acciftent the : brahep ; .'were tested, and disclosed ample braking power. : /