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LORRY OVER A BANK.

FATALITY NEAR DUNEDIN. CRASH THROUGH WIRE FENCE. IMPORTANT NUT MISSING.

While returning to Dunedin from the road construction camp at Mount Cargill on Friday pight, a heavy Public Works Department lorry left the road and dashed over a 20ft bank, killing one of the occupants and injuring five others, three of whom now lie in hospital. The deceased was D. Reid, an ex-corporation employee. The names of the injured were:—Keimeth McKenzie, fractured leg; John Myer, superficial injuries; and Frederick Coll, superficial injuries.

Two other men were also taken to the hospital, but were discharged after treatment. One named Kearns was suffering from a broken rib, while the other, whose name was not taken, had minor abrasions.

Every evening since the Public Works road construction commenced one of the lorries leaves for Dunedin after five o'clock to bring the employees home. It was while this journey was being made that the fatality occurred. The lorty had left the Mount Cargill post office and was proceeding toward the Dpper Junction, when it left the road, crashed through a wire fenco and toppled over the steep bank into the bush and undergrowth below. It lies on its side, completely wrecked and partly buried in the soft clay. Only the trees and heavy undergrowth in which the machine is jammed prevented it from continuing a headlong career down the steep slope of the hill.

When assistance arrived Mr. Reid was lying party under the -wreckage in a dying condition, while the remaining members of the party were under the smashed hood. The scene of the accident is a stretch of the main road half a mile on the south side of the Mount Cargill post office. The whole length of the road in the vicinity is in good order with a slight downward grade toward the Upper Junction. The spot where the lorry crashed'to destruction over the bank is bordered by trees and heavy undergrowth 20ft. below the road. Plain marks on the surface showed that the brakes were applied, and the wheels were locked and ski3ded for 29yds before the lorry left the road. Rain had fallen and the road was wet, but the surface is particularly good at that spot and was not slippery.

As soon as the wheels reached the grass-covered bank, the soft clay had given way and the heavy machine toppled over, crashing on its side into the trees below. The force of the impact must have been terrific, for stout branches were smashed like matchwood and portions of the lorry chassis were left hanging on the tree trunks. The remainder of tho lorry was completely wrecked. The front wheels were smashed in under the body, the cab was crushed and the body with its covpred top was splintered and crushed into the ground. Immediately the police arrived, an examination of the wreckage was made bj torchlight. Particular attention was paid to the steering gear and front portion of the machine and it was found that an important nut was missing from the radius rod. This would be sufficient to cause the driver to lose all control of the lorry. - . ■

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19260330.2.108

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19289, 30 March 1926, Page 12

Word Count
525

LORRY OVER A BANK. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19289, 30 March 1926, Page 12

LORRY OVER A BANK. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19289, 30 March 1926, Page 12

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