THE FRENCH TRAIN SMASH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17522, 21 March 1931, Page 6

THE FRENCH TRAIN SMASH

ILL-FATED JOURNEY DEATH ROLL NOW TOTALS EIGHT (Received Alarch 21, 2 p.m.) PARIS, Alarch 20. Alany of the passengers by the PavislWdeaux express, which met with a hiishap at Le Tempos, perceived an ill omen in the death from heart failure aboard the train just prior to the accident of a fellow-passenger, Afadani C’oljn. The train tore on foe half a mile before the driver and the majority of the passengers realised that there had been an accident owing to the bumping on tlie ballast of the third car, which was derailed. Eight bodies have been recovered and 40 people have been injured. Others are believed to be missing. The diningcar waiters’ cry of “Lie down” probably saved many lives. 'The most difficult task was the exiri'cation of persons jammed in the telescoped concertina passage between the diner and the adjoining carriage. An English boy aged 11 stoically endured two hours’ agony while workmen cut away the hampering steelwork with acetylene torches. Aliehaudi, who was on bis honeymoon, was found dead amongst the smashed crockery. His bride was seriously injured. The English victim, Frank Hatcher Weetman, was a middle-aged man, whose inseparable companion, his brother Walter, was unhurt.