CARAVAN DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 253, 18 July 1908, Page 10

CARAVAN DISASTER.

ENGINE AND VEHICLES FALL INTO A -LAKE. ... A torriblo accident, by which two parsons lost their lives, occurred' in; the »Lako District, England, on June 2. . About 3 o'clock a steam roundabout show'.was ' prqcecding along tho oast side of Thirlomoro Lako, which supplies. Manchester., with- water,'. when -tho sccond engine,, which was drawing two vans used for residoneo, and conta'irjng women and childron, turned into tha wall, crashed through it, and, was precipitated with the vans 150 feet down" the embankment. .Tho ongine <was coraplotcly immersed in the lake, and-one of tho caravans was up to its'roof in .water, whilo; tho :other was completely wrecked' amid tho boulders and bracken. The two men on the engine—Frank. Wood, of King's Lynn, aged'about twenty-six, tlio engine-driver, and Thomas Allen, known to the company: as' "Jack," aged twenty-two, steersman, woro;k}lled outright, being,thrown out halfway down the - embankment.' ; Tho occupants, of the first caravan, all of whom escaped wjth ; slight injuries and burns, were rescued from their 'perilous position (being separated from..tho bank.by...a deep,'shelving pool) by employees. , ■A, woman and child' in tho second caravan wore : -extricated from .a mass : of debris and were aiso. found, to havo escaped with, only •slight, 'burns. .• Anothor woman of tho party .saved her lifo by. jumping off. ■ Tlio-road, at tho point ; whore the acoident. happoned is wide and porfectly straight; and it is. presumed from the wheel marks or 'tlio traction engine that eithor the steering gear or an axlo hadigiyen way._ Tho deceased man Wood was a - steady driver, and ho had not previously met with an accident during hia' nino years' > service: with the company. Tlio safety valve on tho engine acted aud prevented an explosion. After tho accident the scene presented. a curious ' spectacle, tho -wreckage which lay about in confusion amid the beautiful surroundings of the lake including broken wheels, portions! of machinery,' housohold utensils, workmen's tools, feather beds, and children's toys.