RAILWAY TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 181, 26 April 1924, Page 4

RAILWAY TRAGEDY

ST. GOTHARD EXPRESSES COLLIDE MANY PASSENGERS BURNED TO DEATH (BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) COPYRIGHT. (Rec. April 24, 5.5 p.m.) Berne, April 24. The St. Gothard express, drawn by two locomotives, when descending the mountain towards Italy, crashed full-speed into an express coming slowly from Italy. The driver of the Italian tram apparently neglected a warning signal, but details may never be known, as he and seven other drivers ind fi-emen are all dead. The St., Gothard express was little hurt, except the engines, but four coaches of the other train were smashed to fragments, and immediately burst into flames, owing to the explosion of the gas tanks. The passengers were asleep, and tl e bodies in the first coach were completely carbonised. In a few minutes the flames spread to the second coach, before it was possible to attempt to rescue the victims pinned by the debris. Apart from the dead, many must undogo amputations. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. So far 21 bodies have been recovered, a number of them being badly <%arred. It is stated that the majority of i'ie victims are German tourists bound for Italy. A whole Berlin family, consisting of father, mother and three children, is among the killed. Both trains had two locomotives. It is alleged that the driver of one of the expresses failed to obey the signal at the entrance to Bellinzona station — Reuter, HELFFERICH AMONG THE VICTIMS (Rec. April 25, 5.5 p.m.) Berne, April 24. It has now been established that Dr. Helfferich and his mother were'-among the victims of the Bellinzona train disaster. —Reuter. [Dr. Helfferich was made Secretary of the Treasury at the outbreak of the the war, and “was transferred to the post of Secretary of State for the Interior and Deputy-Imperial Cnancellor in May, 1916. J