THE RESCUE WORK

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 5, 6 July 1923, Page 8

THE RESCUE WORK

PASSENGERS WILLING

HELPERS

'ACCIDENT COULD NOT BE

AVOIDED

RELIEF FROM TAUMARUNUI.

(BI TBIEGRAPH. —SPECIAL TO THE POST.)

TAUMARUNUI, This Day.

The accident to the Main Trunk express probably was the moat serious in the history of the railway.

, The mishap occurred Just round tho first corner after leaving Ongarue, at a point where it was impossible for the driven' to see a slip even in broad daylight, : ,

; The first intimation the passengers in ;ilie rear half of the train had of any- - thing untoward was 3 slight bump, bo .slight in fact that many travellers wero "undisturbed. Your correspondent imVmediately proceeded to the front of the •train, and to his horor found the engine badly smashed and thrown on its ,side clear of the rails, which were torn ap for a distance of seventy yards. ' The postal van, which'was next, was •slightly damaged, the two following carriages were completely telescoped, ; and the forward part of the third car ■wrecked.' . • -

„ The cries of the men and women crushed and mangled In- the debris were-leart-rending, especially at it was 'next io impossible owing to darkness and the wreckage to render immediate help. Almost immediately following the misnap the gas containers under the third cariage burst into flames, and it looked for ■■ a moment as if the wreckage ,nnd possibly the whole train would be enveloped by. the blaze, but fortunately \t died down as quickly as it started. Meanwhile willing helpers from the ,passen^ers, under Guard Hobson, were rendering what assistance was possible, and a passeneer, Mr. W. J. Byrne; at ithe request of the guard, proceeded back ,to Ongarue to arouse the settlers and railway linesmen who are resident there, and get word to Taumarunui for assistance.

. In a few minutes the railway surfacemen' were on the scene with crowbars, pick-axes, saws,, etc., together with a mattress. ■.■ ■ ■.. ;

A special train-was despatched from Taumarunui conveying Doctors Welby. Fisher,: and Vivian, and nurses with first-aid equipment. :. ... By the time the train arrived, shortly after 7 o'clock, many of. the iniured-had been extricated from the debris and received attention at .the hands •of the ftassengere. several of them being taken to settlers' gnomes at Ongarue,. ■whereplenty of firing, hot_water, and sasten-

ance alleviated in a measure their distress.

The seriously injured were placed on mattresses, pillmws, and stretchers supplied by local residents, and,'cushions removed from the train, and they were protected from the hard frost by rugs and blankets .supplied'by the passengers, the while they, were ministered to by the doctors and nurses. '

At the earliest possible moment they l were placed in the relief train, and, to-' Kelher with ' the ''.passengers,' brought to Taumarunui, which was reached just after'lo o'clock and a few minutes too late for. one sufferer, who died on the way. ..... t ...

As ,far _as I could gather the following is a list of .those injured :—•• '

P. NEWDICK, Palmerston North, injuries to shoulder.

A. L. BROWNLIE, To Puke, injuries to both legs arid head. A. M. GRANT, Rotorua. C. MAGFARLANE, Milford, Takapuna. . ; - .

S. HUGHES, Auckland. A. TYLER, Martinborough.' A. G. SAXBY,. Napier. MR. and 'MRS. J. T. MORGAN Wanganui;.- • ■ '

A. KENNEDY, Palmerston North. — LOAKE, Hunfley. — MORGAN, Te Kuiti. — HENDERSON, Te Kuiti. , W. G. WALKER, Dannevirke. ,; — ACE, Whangarei. ' ~ LEECH, Taumarunui. S. WHEELER, Matamata. MATIE NIZCH, Auckland. — HOPKINS, Taumarunui. — LEITCH, Taumarunui. LES BROWNLY, Australia. ■ T. COLLINS, Auckland. Dunstan, M'Donnell, and Smith, the Postal officers, .were badly shaken.

HARRY F. LEE, Te Awha. TOM' COLLINS, Beresford .street, Newton, Auckland..

; ' HOWARD ASHMORE, Palmerston North. , ■-.-.■ CHRISTINA GORDON, Ohakune T. GORDON, Ohakune. ' BLANCHE KELLY, Cheviot. B. MEAIi, . -■ C. DIGNAN/ Pokahu. W-* CAMPBELL, East Tamaki. J.- NEALE, Te Arohn. A. TYLER, Martinborough. J. M'CASLEY, Palmerston North. E. GEOItGE, Willis street, Wellington.