Ammunition Blaze Out, Trail Of Ruin; 7 Dead, 7 Hurt

Northern Advocate, 4 January 1946, Page 3

Ammunition Blaze Out, Trail Of Ruin; 7 Dead, 7 Hurt

(Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 3. Smashed trucks and bent and blackened debris surround two great craters in Savernake Forest left by the explosion of ammunition a railway siding in Wiltshire.

The War Office announced that total casualties were seven, one of whom died.in hospital. Seven fvere injured.

The fire has been put out and six bodies had been recovered. The area was picketed and civilians, who were evacuated from their homes have been permitted to return. The railway and main road now are open again.

A Press Association reporter, who was allowed to visit the siding today, saw a terrible scene of devastation. SCENE OF DEVASTATION

Parallel rows of railway trucks ended abruptly at the edges of the craters, and for nearly a quarter of a mile nothing remained of the trains’ lines or ammunition but scraps of shapeless metal. At least 12 trucks, each of which was loaded with 10 tons of explosives, the only recognisable object left was one wheel lying halfburied at the bottom of the crater. Twenty-five pounder cartridges. 5.9 shells and mines which were thrown from other trucks were scattered over a wide area.

It is officially stated that the cause of the disaster still is a mystery. The ammunition had been captured from the Germans and was being removed from a United States Army dump. All available firemen from Marlborough and other towns and villages near Cadley were rushed to the scene this morning to try to extinguish the flames. Firemen fought the flames while shells were still exploding. SLEEPLESS NIGHT The inhabitants of hamlets in Savernake Forest spent a sleepless night waiting for a mighty explosion from nearly 40 trucks laden with captured German' ammunition standing on the siding with blazing waggons on each side of them, says the “Daily Mail.” Minor explosions went on throughout the night, shaking the hamlets in the neighbuorhood and lighting the sky with vivid flashes. Whether or not there would be another major explosion depended on the wind.

Only 20 yards separated the blazing trucks from the remainder of the train, but as the train was uncoupled when the first explosion occurred the threatened trucks could not be drawn away. The initial explosion is believed to have been caused by cartridges firing and detonating land mines.