Ongarue Train Disaster

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 99, 31 August 1923, Page 5

Ongarue Train Disaster

REPORT OF THE INQUIRY. Per Presß Association. Wellington, August 30. The report of the Board of Inquiry into the Ongarue railwawy disaster was delivered to-day. The replies to the questions were:— What was the cause of the derailment.?—The board finds it was due to the train colliding with several large boulders forming part of a slip in a cutting near Ongarue. The occurrence was accidental, and could not have been prevented by the exercise of ordinary human precautions. There were good grounds for the belief that the fall was taking place at the time the train was passing, as a boulder knocked off the handle of the smoke door. Heavy rainfall in May and June brought about the saturated and unstable condition of the cutting. j Was any employe© of the department guilty of dereliction of duty, directly or indirectly?—The board is satisfied there was no neglect of duty on the part of any employee, directly or indirectly. Relief measures were promptly taken and willing and effective assistance was rendered in rescuing the injured passengers. The loss of life and injuries were duo to the teloscoping of the three leading passengers cars, whose upper frames proved too light to resist the weight of the following cars. The tools and ambulance appliances carried on the J tram were up to the standard of New Zealand and Australian and North British railways. The recommendations include the following: A greater number of tools should be carried for use in such an emergency; a greater number of lights could have been used with advantage; the department is recommended to increase the number of lamps earned on express trains; medical advice should bo obtained regarding ambulance materials carried.

That the cutting was regarded aa safe was substantiated by the fa-ci thai fifty or sixty thousand trains bad pa»Sßed through since the opening of the Main Trunk railway without accident or stoppage, bnt the department was advised to have the cuttings in the locality specially examined and the necessary slteps taken to make them more secure. The train was properly examined and equipped, and in good order prior to and during the journey until the accident.

A stronger typo of oar was desirable on tlie main trains, so as to bo better able to resist the shock of a collision. It was suggested the department- should consider the possibility of building carriage bodies of steel and substituting chairs with steel instead of cast iron frames. After hearing tbc evidence concerning the disaster and the daily 1 measures taken 1-., the department to ensure the safe running of trains. the board was .satisfied that all ren sonable precautions wore taken io effect this purpose. Thanks arc expressed to the witnesses and all who rendered assistance at the accident and.t>? V>r.;»'.v-y (>}*n io -he rVcf oflt-