CROSSING ACCIDENTS

Southland Times, Issue 21671, 6 April 1932, Page 4

CROSSING ACCIDENTS

LORRY STRIKES JIGGER. RAILWAYS INSPECTOR INJURED. The railway crossing at Elies road was the scene of a collision between a motor lorry and a motor jigger shortly after two o’clock yesterday afternoon. As a result Mr John Fletcher, inspector of permanent ways for the Railway Department at Invercargill, sustained a broken leg, necessitating his removal to the Southland Hospital by the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Mr Fletcher is a married man, aged 58 years, residing at 25 Earn street. He was travelling on the jigger towards Invercargill when he was struck by a motor lorry proceeding along Elies road in a southerly direction. The forward part of the jigger was struck by the front of the |orry, the force of the impact lifting the jigger off the line and pushing it several feet away. Mr Fletcher’s leg was broken just above the ankle. A passenger who had been accompanying him on the rear of the jigger was unharmed. The front right-hand wheel of the lorry, which bore the blow, was bent inwards, -otherwise no serious damage was done to the vehicle. The view of the crossing where the accident occurred is obscured by a house, and although there is a wig-wag signal and alarm bell in the vicinity these are not operated by railway jiggers. The lorry is stated to have been well on its correct side. Mr Fletcher’s condition was reported by the hospital authorities last evening- to be satisfactory.

TRAIN HITS CAR MISHAP AT GRASMERE. NO ONE HURT. 1 Shortly before half-past five on Monday evening a collision occurred between a train and a motor car at the Grasmere railway crossing, attended fortunately without any serious consequences. The car, which was of a baby type, was being driven towards Invercargill by Mr Diack, of Lochiel, and was on the rails when struck by the afternoon train from Tuatapere. The car, which landed on all four wheels in a ditch on the southern side of the crossing, was considerably damaged. The fact that no one was injured is attributable largely to the fact that the train had slackened speed on approaching the crossing.