RUNAWAY TRAMCDAR

Grey River Argus, 3 February 1917, Page 7

RUNAWAY TRAMCDAR

— : ACCIDENT IN. MELBOURNE.' The death of a boy of 16 years of age. and injuries to 17 other persons resulted from a sensational accident which occurred pn the Burwood electric tramline in ' Melbourne on January 7th! A well-filled tramcar. travelling to Melbourne, when coming down an incline in the Norwood Road, Cam-, berwell. left the rails, and crashing: into a tree, overturned. The car attained such a rapid pace as the bottom of the incline was reached" that the passengers began to get alarmed. The magnetic brake was applied, but. the wheels skidded.' the car gathering more pace. The line is -a single one with loops from the cars to pass each other, and at the junction of one of these loops the front bogies left the rails.( As soon as the points were reached the rear bosrie ran pn the loop for about 12 yards. the car by this time being on hh ancle about i^ yards from the junction of the points. The leadins 1 bogie was swung further round, and headed directly across the road. It struck an elm tree on the roadside a few yards from the track and turned over on its left side with a terrific crash. The force of the impact was so great that the tree, which was over 12 inches in diameter at the butt, was torn up by the roots. As the car struck the road the passengers were thrown violently tocether in a heap, and cut. bruised, broken, and bleeding, they presented a painful sight. Assistance was quickly forthcomincr. Clambering on to the top side of the car. men commenced lifting the TDassengers out — no easy task, as several were badly injured. The victims were taken to various hospitals. but on their arri^ in Melbourne Hospital. .Clarence- Handson. asred 16. was I found to. be. dead. He sustained a fractured skull.