TRAIN HITS VAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19249, 15 February 1937, Page 4

TRAIN HITS VAN

CROSSING ACCIDENT DRIVER CRITICALLY HURT JAMMED ON COWCATCHER A level crossing accident occurred on Friday morning, when the OpuaAueklaud express collided with a halfLon motor-van at the Kensington Avenue crossing, Whangarei. The driver of the vehicle, Mr. William Lucas Heather, married, aged about 50, an orcliardist, was admitted to the Whangarei Hospital suffering froin a fracture of the skull, severe injuries to tlie brain, and injuries to the face' and an eye His condition is very critical. VAN LIFTED BODILY Mr. R. Wood, Whangarei borohgh gardener, said he saw Mr. Heather turn into Kensington avenue, and when crossing the line the van was struck by the engine fairly in the centre. The van was lifted bodily on to the cowcatcher and the body of* the vehicle was thrown to the side of the line about 35yds from the crossing. The train stopped about 30yds from the crossing. When Mr. Wood reached the engine the chassis of the van and Air. Heather were jammed on to the front of the engine, and it was necessary to back the train a few yards in order to release the chassis and extricate Air. Heather, who, at that time, was conscious. He spoke to Mr. Wood, but soon afterward he lapsed into unconsciousness. Mr. Wood •said he heard the engine give a long whistle before it reached the crossing.

COMPLETELY WRECKED The vail was completely wrecked, and fruit of various kinds, which Mr. Heather was delivering in the van, was strewn along the line. A quantity of it was still on the engine when it stopped at the Whangarei station, about a mile and a-half farther on. Mr. Heather is a son of the late Rev. William Heather, M.A., a retired Congregational minister, of Whangarei, who died about a year ago. Mr. Heather’s wife left Whangarei a few. days ago to visit friends and relatives in Gisborne, and was to have left, bv the Remuera on February 18 on a holiday visit to England. There are no children.