26 DEATHS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1938, Page 7

26 DEATHS

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.

SCHOOL BUS HIT COLLISION WITH TRA1N SNOWSTORM TRAGEDY BODIES DISMEMBERED

Rec. 9.10 p.m. Salt Lake City, Dec. 1. Twenty-six school pupils, aged from 12 to 16 years, were killed and at least 12 were seriously jinjured when a high school bus wai struck by a fast goods train during a snowstorm. A number of those injured are not expected to survive. Hysterlcal screaming parents Jammed the local hospital, to which the victiips were taken. There was the greatest difflculty ln Identlflcation. Like a Horseshoe. The bus was hlt in the middle and bent ln the form of a narrow horseshoe. After the colllsion the train continued for a quarter of a mile, strewing the trade with dlsmembered bodies, books, band instruments, luncheon boxes and the wreckage of the bus. The driver of tne bus was among the dead. " Railway officials said that the train was an hour ■ behind schedule, due to the weather, and was travelling fast, prObably in excess of 60 miles per hour. It appears that the engtaeer was on the right slde of the dmer's cab of the locomotive and the hua came from the left. The - flreman screamed to him. The entire floor of the hospital was ' fllled with the victims. Ohance circumstances saved a number of children from being on the bus. One youngster stayed at. home due to toothache but his brother was killed. A girl whose home is on the opposite side of tiro track was awaiting the bus and saW it hlt by the train. Physicians declared that many of those injured would be maimed for life and others are expected to die. It is impossible to identify the broken bodies of many of the dead. Officials are checking homes in tHe area to determine the exact casualty list. ■ ' . , When news of the tragedy reachad the high school many of the children had to be forced ihto buses to make the trip home and several drivers at first refused to leave. ' v