WRECKED BY TRAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 12

WRECKED BY TRAIN

LORRY ON CROSSING DRIVER'S LUCKY ESCAPE VEHICLE CARRIED 150 YARDS MINOR DAMAGE TO TRACK [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] ROTORUA, Friday Although able to step out of the wreckage with injiijcies apparently no more serious than cuts about the head from flying glass and abrasions, the driver of a heavy unladen motor-truck, Mr. S. P. King, of Ngongotaha, an employee of Mossrs. Leo Brothers, of ltotorua, had a miraculous escape from death in a railway crossing crash this morning. The scene of the accident, which took place shortly before seven o'clock, was at the crossing to the south of the Ngongotaha station, where, from the eastern side from which the truck approached, there is a view of the railway line for a considerable distance. Apparently the driver of the truck failed to notice the approach of the early morning goods train, or hear the warning blasts given from the engine. The truck was struck just behind the cab, lifted bodily on the cowcatcher of the engine and carried over 150 yards before the train was promptly pulled up by the enginedriver, Mr. P. O'Brien. The noise of the impact was heard over a wide area and quickly brought many residents to the scene. Much relief was caused when the driver was seen to step from the tangled mass of wreckage, apparently not seriously injured. The force of the impact was so great that, for the full distance which the truck was carried until the train was stopped, wreckage was strewn everywhere. • Minor damage was done to the permanent way. The cattle-stops on the side of the crossing were torn away and the broken timber carried along the line. The truck, which had to be jacked off the front of the engine, was twisted almost beyond repair, while inside the cab was a confused mass of broken glass, splintered timber and broken fittings. The steering wheel was broken and the seat torn from beneath the driver, who was fortunate that at the time the train had commenced to slacken speed for its run into the station platform.