SOME TERRIBLE SIGHTS

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

SOME TERRIBLE SIGHTS

.VICTIMS CONFINED TO SECONDCLASS

COMPLETE ARRANGEMENTS AT TAUMARUN-UI.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

. TAUMARUNUI, This Day. When the rescue train arrived in Taumarunui at 10 o'clock between 50 and 60 cars were lined ijp to receive the injured. There were twelve to fifteen serious stretcher cases,'which were immediately conveyed to the hospital The arrangements made by the local police and hospital authorities wete very complete, and there were plenty of stretchers, bedding, blankets, restoratives, and hot water bottles. Those passengers who were not seriously injured went to the hotels. , The dead and injured were mostly confined to the second-class. The first two second-class carriages were telescoped, and the dead and injured had to be reached by sawing through the top and sides of the carriages. Some of the dead are almost unrecognisable. Some of the victims died on the way to Taumarunui.

There were some terrible sights at the' scene of the accident.

The accident happened about a quarter of a mile from Ongarue township overlooking the river. The engine, on going into the slip, struck a boulder weighing about a ton, and carried it on for about 50 yards, when the engine fell over on its side towards the river. Luckily it did not fall into the river, or the consequences would have been ■ terrible, i The mail van, which is a "2" wagon, and not 'the usual mail van, was next to the engine, and contained three postal officials, who had a miraculous escape. The next car was a second-class carriage, and this was telescoped with the third, car.

The railway line is badly twisted, and a considerable amount of wreckage' will have to be removed.