ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18151, 24 January 1921, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

RAILWAY CROSSING TRAGEDY. (Peb United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 23. Ah accident with fatal consequences orcurred at the Huntly railway crossing, when James Hamilton was run down by the Main Trunk express from Wellington. The express was promptly pulled up and Dr Cuthberf, of Huntly, was called in. Hamilton was unconscious, having received a severe gash on the head, and his left leg was completely severed by the engine, while his left arm was badly crushed and broken. Arrangements were made by the Railway Department to have an ambulance in waiting when the express should arrive at Auckland, and the injured man was taken to the Auckland Hospital, but 20 minutes after •his admission he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased was a singlo'man, 24 years of age, and resided with his parents at Hakanoa road, Huntly. He was a blacksmith by trade.

KILLED by lightning. WHAN GAR El, January 22. Douglas M’Kenzie, aged 11, was instantaneously killed by lightning this morning. MOTOR CAR SMASH. (Fhom Our Own Correspondent.) WANGANUI, January 22. A motor car driven by a Wanganui resident and containing a lady passenger ran full tilt into a goods train at the Aramoho crossing last evening about 6 o’clock. The car was badly smashed, but the occupants escaped with a severe shaking. Eye witnesses declare that it was a miracle that those in the car were not killed, and they attribute their providential escape to the remarkable presence of mind shown by the driver, whose clever handling of the car at a critical moment alone prevented a fatality. / , A GELIGNITE EXPLOSION. STRATFORD, January 22. An inquest was held into the circumstances attending the death of Alfred Zurcher, farmer, of Toko road, who died at the Stratford Hospital from injuries received as a reSult of, the premature ex-'' plosion of a charge, of gelignite. Deceased’s brother stated that he heard the report of the explosion, and hurried to the scene, where he found his brother lying about a yard back from a log, covered with blood. His theory was that the , deceased was pushing the detonator into a charge when it exploded. A verdict of accidental death was returned.