RAILWAY DISASTER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 9089, 28 April 1890, Page 5

RAILWAY DISASTER.

KILLED AND INJURED. EIGHT HUNDRED SHEEP KILLED. A TERRIBLE SCENE. [ffF ELECTRIC l ELKGRAPH. — COPYRIGHT.] [Special to Press Association, i ■ • «*, * ■ [Received qpril 25, at 12.30 p.ra.] ' j-j SYDNEY. Aran, 26, The driver of the r ßourke train was not killed, as first be sustained severe injuries. were also severely injured, aud hatP*a miraculous escape from death. Those killed are Michael Downey, Mrs Franklyn, and Mrs O’Connor. Miss Maud Radford, Miss Godfrey, and two others, whose names have not been mentioned, sustained injuries from wliich they are unlikely to recover. The stationmaster at Eaglan, when ho saw the runaway, wired to Bathurst of the danger, but the tremendous speed at which the detached portion of the train travelled left no time for the line to bo cleared. The stationmaster at Bathurst states that when Kelso wired, “ No. 26 broken away,” tho up goods train had left for Kelso. He at once rushed on ths platform, and saw toe runaway crossing the bridge over the Macquarie river at q terrific pace. No time seemed to have elapsed before he heard a dreadful crash, followed by the noise of escaping steam and smashing timbers. The runaway train consisted of five trucks loaded with goods and sheep, one empty horse box, one eixwheeled carriage, and a composite brake van. The two latter, besides several of the trucks, were smashed to atoms, and some portion of them thrown over the top of the engine, v/hich itself was broken and crushed up to the tubes of the boiler. 1 Received April 27, at 10.40 a.m.l The grade at Eaglan, where the couplings of the trucks gave way is one in forty. It is estimated that iu the descent the runaway attained a speed of eighty miles an hour. Eight hundred sheep stowed in the trucks were killed. To add to the terrible nature of the scene, inside the boiler, which was stove in, were found portions of the brake van, clothing and cushions, as well as human flesh and bicod. The driver and fireman of the Bourko train gallantly remained at their posts, and fortunately were but slightly injured. Maud Radford, one of those injured, died to-day, making four victims. The injured are progressing favourably.