FRENCH TRAIN SMASH

Evening Star, Issue 19020, 15 August 1925, Page 4

FRENCH TRAIN SMASH

EXPRESS JUMPS RAILS HEARTRENOINS SCENES MANY KILLED AND INJURED, Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright PARIS, August LI. A passenger train from Paris ran off the rails while entering Amiens station owing to its excessive speed. Many of tho coaches were overturned, burying the victims in debris. One telescoped car caught fire. It is known’ that ten persons arc dead, but tho death roll may bo greater, ns rescue parties are still soaraumg. It is believed that there were a considerable number of tourists on the train returning to England after a holiday on the Continent. During 1925 over fifty persons wore killed and 150 were injured m French train wrecks. The disasters are attributed to inferior rolling stock.—A. and N.Z. Cable. NO BRITISHERS KILLED. PARIS, August 14. .

There were no Britishers among those who were killed at Amiens, but flute wore injured.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

ICO INJURED

COACHES CATCH FIRE

LONDON, August 14

(Received August 15, at 1.80 a.m.) Tho latest details of the Amiens railway smash show that nine people v. cro killed and 160 injured, of whom seventy-oiio are in a serious condition. Three are not expected tu survive. It appears that the driver ol the wrecked train entered the station at the rate of fifty-six miles an nour instead of tho usual twenty-six miles, after which the brakes were too suddenly applied. . Heartrending cries were hoard from amidst tho smashed timber and tangled ironwork, from which the mangled corpses wore extricated. The horror of tho scene was increased when three coaches caught fire, tho flames being extinguished, thanks to the splendid work of tho firo brigade. -—Reuter.

ENGINE DRIVER ARRESTED

DEATHS TOTAL TWELVE,

PARIS, August 14

(Received August 15, at 9.5 a.m.) Up to the present it is known that twelve persons were killed and eighty injured in the railway accident. The engine driver has been arrested. The train was unusually full ol holi-day-makers, mostly third class passengers going to the seaside. The train was due to stop at Amiens, hut it entered the station at full speed. The engine jumped the points and dragged off the luggage van and seven third class coaches, which were telescoped and splintered. M. Briand, who was returning from London, was held up in consequence of the accident, causing rumors in Paris that it was his train that was derailed. Actually M. Briand's tram arrived a few minutes after the disaster, and was delayed outside Amiens while the injured people were removed. Tho wreckage was subsequently hauled slowly on to another track at Amiens station, showing the bombed passengers the results of one or the worst accidents experienced m 1 ranee for a long time.—Reuter.