A LUCKY ESCAPE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4333, 20 September 1950, Page 8

A LUCKY ESCAPE

CRASH INTO A GULLY TRUCK DROPS 80 FEET ACCIDENT ON THiE tapu bill When a heavy truck driven by Mr N. Winiata on Saturday rifteumoon last left the road, on the Coroglen side of the Tapu hill on the ThamesWhitianga road and plunged pearly 100 feet into a gully the driver had a miraculous escape.

The truck belonged to the Mercury Bay Transport and is used in the goods service from Auckland to Whitianga and on Saturday last it was returning to Mercury Bay from Auckland when the accident happened. Trouble had been experienced at Bombay on the previous day. An articulater waggon belonging to the same firm took the smaller vehicle in tow and reached Thames on the Friday evening. On the 'Saturday morning the vehicles left for Whitianga, the larger truck towing the smaller. The summit of the Tapu hill was safely negotiated but, when bn the downward grade to Mercury Bay a bad bend was being rounded, the smaller truck overran the tow rope and became out of control. ' The dHver of the towing truck, Mr Dugdale, upon looking behind after feeling a jerking of. the tow rope, saw the other truck over the (bank

and l .Mr Winiata making his escape from it. Acting promptly Mr Dugdale accelerated in an attempt to hold the rear truck which finally disappeared leaving its front axle and wheels attached to the tow rope. Becoming freed x ,the rear vehicle dropped some 40 feet before.it hit an . obstruction below. It smashed into undergrown, scattering its; contents in its career, and finally came to rest some 40 or 50 feet further down, the gully. .Salvage operations were commenced without delay and continued on Sunday, but it is thought likely that the truck may proved to be a total loss It is a strange coincidence that the same truck was involved in a similar accident last year when it went over the bank in the near vicinity. ■ Fortunately 'Mir Winiata was uninjured though he was Shaken by his fall.