BRIDGE BURNT

Evening Star, Issue 20310, 19 October 1929, Page 14

BRIDGE BURNT

BLAZE OH CENTRAL LINE TRAIN TRAFFIC DELAYED Fire occurred on one of the bridges of the Central Otago railway line last night, and caused damage which considerably delayed the train service today. The bridge on which the lire occurred is an iron one, near Flat Stream, which is about lour miles above Hindoo. Full particulars had not been received at the Dunedin station this morning, but it was known that a large number of sleepers and stringers had been damaged, making the bridge unsafe for traffic. The Central train which was due to leave Dunedin at 7.52 this morning was held up for several hours, and was ultimately despatched at 10.30. Wagons containing sleepers and material for repairs were attached to ’he train, and a gang of workmen was ■sent to carry out the work. Mr C. M. Benzoui, the district railway engineer, went to the scene of the tire, it was hoped that when the train arrived there the burnt sleepers Mould he taken out and replaced in about; ''two hours, the train then being able to get through about lour hours behind its schedule time. The cause of the outbreak _ is net known. It is possible that it was. caused by a piece of smouldering coal falling from an engine yesterday on the woodwork, or by a. spark I rom the engine, the breeze fanning either of these to dame during the night. About seventy of the sleepers, which are of hardwood and closely packed together on top of the bridge, were rejjorted to have been damaged. The outbreak would probably be discovered early this morning by one of the local surfacemen, and reported as soon as he got to the nearest telephone, which would be a considerable distance away.

Some of the goods wagons on tlie train which left at 10.30 were, taken off to give place to the repair materia], and were taken on the 31.40 Central train.