TAKAPUNA TRAM SMASH.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1920, Page 5

TAKAPUNA TRAM SMASH.

ENGINE COLLIDES WITH DRAY. AT DANGEROUS CROSSING. By Teleerapli.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. A sensational accident occurred yesterday afternoon on the main road at Takapuna, when a tramway engine collided with a. dray, drawn by two horses and driven by D. McLean. The dray was coming up from Takapuna beach empty, and the impact occurred at a dangerous crossing. The driver of the dray evidently did not hear the whistle of the approaching engine, and his leader had crossed the tram line before McLean knew of his danger. He endeavoured to get across ahead of the tram but the engine crashed into the rear part of the dray which was lifted bodily over to the middle of (he road. McLean w;as jerked into the air and then fell on to the railway apparently Striking the metal with liis Lead, for blood was found inside the straw hat be was wearing. He was unconscious when picked up. The horses in the dray had a marvellous escape, from being killed or seriously injured. The harness was broken and both horses got clear without a scratch. The dray was not much damaged, the only injury being the breaking of one of the tyres. There were very few passengers on the tram, and nobody was injured, beyond being slightly shaken. The lifeguard of the engine was badly smashed, but otherwise the engine and tram were not damaged.