FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT,

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 1 May 1890, Page 15

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT,

A NUMBER OF PERSONS KILLED. (Pee Pebss Association.) Sydney, April 25. A terrible railway accident happened at Bathurst to-night. A great crash like an explosion of gas was heard about 7 o'clock proceeding from the gatea in Knssell street. The engine was found with the front crushed to atoms, as were the carriages and trucks, and several dead bodies were found lying about. It appears a mixed train left for Sydney at 6.30 p.m., and when near Raglan several couplings gave way and many trucks came down the zigzag past Raglan at great speed and dashed through Kelso station. At Bathurst a goods train just about to start for Sydney failed to get out of the way of the runaway trucks, and a terrible collision resulted. The loss of life at present is indefinitely known, but five bodies have been discovered. Some/>f these had been killed by shock, while others were dreadfully mutilated. Later. The guard's van and passenger carriages were completely telescoped by the engine, and the. train from Bourke was reduced to nothing but splinters. So far as is known several children named O'Connor, who were returning from school, were all killed. Mrs Franklyn and the driver of the Bourke train were also killed. A child named Noonan was seriously injured. April 26. The driver of the Bourke train, which was run into by the trucks which escaped on Friday night, was injured, but not killed Two of the firemen were seriously injured, their escape from death being miraculous. The list of che dead comprises Mr Michael Downey, Mrs Franklin, and Mr Henry O'Connor. The injured are Maude Redford, Miss Godfrey, and two others whose names are not given, but who are not likely to recover. From Raglan a message was sent to Bathurst warning the railway officials there of the approaching danger; but the tremendous speed at which the runaway engine was travelling left them no time to clear the line. The stationmaster afe Bathurst states that from Kelso he got a wire saying, " No. 26 broken away"; but the up goods train had then left the station for Kelso. He rushed on to the platform, and saw the advancing train crossing at a teriffic pace the bridge over the Macquarie river near the town. No time seemed to have slap3ed before he heard a dreadful crash, followed by a terrible noise of escaping steam and the smashing of timber. The runaway train consisted oE five trucks of goods and sheep, one empty horse box, one six-wheeled carriage, and a composite brake van. The two latter, besides several trucks, were smashed to atoms, some portions of the debris being shot over the top of tho engine on to the tender. The engine itself was crushed up to the boiler tubes. The grade afc Raglan where the couplings of the trucks gave way is one in forty. Ifc is estimated that in the descent the runaway trucks attained a speed of eighty miles an hour. Eight hundred sheep stowed in the trucks were killed. To add to the terrible nature of the scene, inside the boiler, which was stove in, were found portions of the biake van, clothing, and cushions, as well as human flesh and blood. The driver and fireman of the Bourko train gallantly remained afc their posts, and fortunately were but slightly injured. Maude Redford, one of those injured, died to-day, making four victims. The injured are pro. gressing favourably.