THE DIXON STREET FATALITY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 28, 1 August 1924, Page 8

THE DIXON STREET FATALITY

HOSPITAL BOARD DISCUSSES ALLEGED DELAY Suggestions have been made that there was undue delay in the removal to the hospital by ambulance of the three ladies injured in the tragic accident in Dixon street on Wednesday afternoon, and at yesterday aftertioon's meeting of the Hospital Board reference was made to the matter by the chairman, Mr. F. Castle. He could not understand, he said, why there should have been any difficulty in getting into touch wilh the hospital by telephone, as there were five trunk wires. If there had been any delay, he and every member of the board greatly regretted the fact; further inquiries would be made into the matter. On the question of whether action had bee:i promptly' taken at the"hospital on . receipt of word of the accident the following reports were laid befoi'e the board:—

From Mr. C. -M'Kirdy (engineer): Re your inquiries about the accident at St. John's Church,' which appeared in this morning's "Dominion": (1) I have no record at all of a delay in connection . with an accident from the steeple of this. church. (2) About 2.30 p.m. yesterday the telephone . porter asked if I had another ambulance in readiness. I replied 'Yes.' Froni' thG time I received this message until the ambulance was under way was not ten minutes, and tys patients'were admitted to the- hospital at 3.10 p.m. Re the ambulance which passed the scene of the_ accident; The ambulance was conveying a patient from Brooklyn to the Hobson street hospital.' Meantime a message had been telephoned through to the Hobson street hospital that the ambulance was to drive up Willis street, and see if he was required. This message he received, and on driving up Willis street was asked to take a patient from Dr. Corkill's surgery. This patient arrived at the hospital at 3.25 p.m." From Mr. F. Barrett (ambulance driver):—"At 2 p.m. yesterday I received an order to take a patient from Brooklyn to the Hobson street hospital. On passing Dixon street I noticed a crowd outside St. John's Church, but not knowing that an accident had oc-. curred, I proceeded to Hobson street hospital with the patient. On arriving, a telephone message was waiting to instruct me to go to Dixon street; this was about 2.50 p.m., where I was met by Dr. Gibbs, by whoso orders I got a patient from Dr. Corkill's surgery in Willis street and brought her to the .main hospital. There was no attempt made to stop me when I was proceeding to Hobson street. The husband o£ the patient was on the front of the ambulance with me, and I think he will verify this statement."

v From the telephone attendant, Mr R. A. Watt :—"Between 2.30 and 2.45, while on duty at the telephone yesterday afternoon, I received a call for us to send the ambulance to St. John's Church, Willis street, as there, had been an accident. I told him our ambulance was out on a removal job, and asked if the patient could not be brought up in a car, and the speaker replied that he would see. I then received a call from the police, stating that there was a 'serious accident in Willis street, and asking for the ambulance. I replied that I would see what I could do. I then ran over to the yard to Mr. M'Kirdy. and he arranged for another driver. I then rang Hobson street hospital, and told them that as soon as the ambulance arrived there to send it up to Willis street. It was within ten minutes from tho time I received the ring from the police until the ambulance left the yard, and it was back at tho front door at about 3.10."