RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT SYDNEY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 71465, 16 February 1901, Page 2

RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT SYDNEY.

SEVEN PERSONS KILLED.

BETWEEN THIRTY AND FORTY

INJURED.

(Press Association.—Copyright.)

Sydney, February 15. A railway disaster occurred to-night :^fc Sydenham. Several persons are reported to have been killed.

The Bcene of the railway accident was ?, jew huidred yards from Tempe station. Ihe train was a suburban one, running express through as far as Tempe. It i3ft the city a few minutes before six, the busiest part of the evening, just as people are leav.'ng business, and consisted of nine carriages. Several hunCred passengers were aboard. Just before reaching Sydenham the engine ran off, dragging the first carwage, a second-class smoker, with it, ma, ploughing some distance aloDg an embankment, rolled"over. The carrjaoe was smashed into pieces, many of the passengers being pinned among the debris. The scene was terrible. Ho far as is at present known five persons wero lrlled and between 30 and 40 njjured.

Later repous state that seven were fled. These are Lister Beverley, R. C. leece, the fireman King, two boys and two men not yet identified. Several of those injured are in a serious condition.

The fo-lowing are amongst those in* ]ured:—Matthew Doyle, F. Jockel, Charles Beverley, C. Spencer, F. Rolfe, R. W. Wfldsmith, C. Lake, J. Cunning, ham, C. Tiller, J. Uicholson, T. Beckonside, P. Pollard, S. Goodall, A. Beattie, T. Griffiths, D. McMillan, F. Clarke, A. Gilding, J. Dillon, Taylor, E. Clapham, Cr. Mart, P. Bray and L. Reardon* From what can be gathered amid a scrne of confusion, it appears that the engine, from some unknown cause, suddenly jumped from the line, and, turning over, righted itself again. The front car, a smoker, full of passengers, by the force of the impact, collapsed and split open, and then; closed upon the unfortunate occupants.. Ready hands gave willing assistance, and axes were soon at work cutting upthe carriage*

borne of the passengers were pulled out through the roof and some through the floor and sides of the car.

Some of the splinters were hurled high ra tbe air, and landed 50 yards away. /

Alongside the line where the accident occurred is a blind roadway, and wreckage went over and lodged itself there.

People came rushing out of the houses around, the noise of the catastrophe having been heard a consider* able distance.

The driver shut off the steam to prevent an explosion, and all fears of a fire occurring were fortunatsly soon at an end.

' The injured (were conveyed to a hospital, where about thirty received treatment. ,

Numbers of othera who were sliehtlv injured went to their homes. Three included in the list of the dead succumbed after reaching the hospital. Doyle, the "driver, is amongst those severely injured. There is much excitement and many pathetic incidents have occurred. In the city great crowds gathered at" the Eedfem station and around the* newspaper offices, anxiously awaitinenews. °"

Heavy rain set in shortly after tbe accident, and the night being dark, rrscue operations were considerably impeded.

The railway authorities are unable to account for the accident.

Several trains passed over tbe fines shortly before.