TRAIN SMASHES MOTOR VAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 28 April 1926, Page 9

TRAIN SMASHES MOTOR VAN.

GHASTLY DISASTER NEAR .MELROt'RNE. HEAVY CASUALTY LIST. By Cable —Press Association —Copyrltfnt. Australian and. N.<4, Cable Association (Received April 2S, 1.10 a.ni.) MELBOURNE, April 27. The ninth victim of yesterday’s smash has been identified as Ronald Ronald Hyne, aged five. The condition of three or four of the injured is serious.

Casualty List. The names of (ho dead in tho railway smash arc:— Marjorie Walker (19). single. Hilaries Barr. Mrs Evans (widow). Leslie Matthews. Eileen Matthews. Thelma Richards (Ml a* Llitton Hill). Percy 11. Ashton. ... , Mrs Ashton (ividow) both of NortnA. boy, very badly mutilated and nor, identifiable, but believed to he a nephew of All’s Ashton. Those seriously injured are :—-May Evans, Robert Bridges, Mrs Ruby Arnold Bridges, Samuel lantine, ° Colin Aslibon, Doris Willis, and Gwen Evans. Altogether there were fifteen in j ii red. Lucky Escapes. Tim train left Melbourne at o.oH, and the accident occurred .10 minutes later. It is regarded as remarkable that even more were not killed outright. The train wa,s moving rapidly, and ran nearly half its length belore it could be pulled up. Olio imping©!’ on. tho vrui sjud sU« noticed the approach of tho train as flic truck ran on to the crossing, and thinking it too close for safety jumped from the hack of the van. She injured her hand in doing so, hut escaped serious injury. Tho occupants of the van were arranged along three temporary scats. . . They were members of a Bicmc Lino, who subscribed the funds.

Dangerous Crossing. As they approached tile crossing several occupants warned the driver that the crossing was a dangerous one. lie .slowed down and crossed it at a verv .slow speed. When the train struck (lie ear, the latter was carried along ten yards before it was thrown clear. Robert Bridges, who wa' s seal'd in front with the driver, said he did not know of the train’s approach till the accident happened. Tho driver of the truck, Samuel Tauliue, .-aid if was just getting dark. He had the headlights on. There were no lights in llie van. He did not hear tile train whistle, liecauso thu party were singing. Relief Work. The Assistant MeLropolil.au Railway Superintendent-, who was at Ecru Tree (fully, dealing willi holiday t nil fie, hastily organised a staff of railway employees, who assisted in removing the dead from beneath 1 the Lain, collecting the injured, and removing I belli to ambulances. The train.- which struck the van.' was detained to living the bodies of tho victims to Melbourne, wlie.ro special arrangements wove made for their reception and the conveyance of the bodies to the morgue! Sad News Spreads. The news of the disaster spread rapidly, and a .Jargo squad of police was necessary to keep back curious spectators wlie.il the train arrived. The. injured- were brought to Melbourne by motor ambulances, as tho doctors decided that this was preferable to a train journey, which would involve transferring them to ambulances on arrival in the city. The scene at the EJiuder.s Street Station, when the train _ arrived, was harrowing. The sight ot the mangled bodies proved too much for some railway efliciak and police, and some time elapsed belore they were able to undertake their i enable duties. In two cn-es tho bodies were literally cut lo pieces. Tho Guard’s Story. The guard of the train stales that the train’s whistle was .sounded continuously a.s it approached the crossing. The motnrmnn is suffering from shock, and uriahlo to make a statement. .John Walker, one of the less injured. staled that he was sitting next the driver. Neither of them heard I lie train approaching. Suddenly thu slirill blast of a whistle rang out. and almost simultaneously there was lfili awful crash. lie was thrown in Hit air and rendered unconscious. The train evidently hit (lie hack ol the van. as those sifting in the hack were killed, and those in front- injured The Railway Commissioners have issued a statement expressing deep regret at the. disaster, and their Jicartfel] sympathy wilh the relatives of the unfortunate victims. Boy Scouts Praised. A high tribute is paid lo a party ol Bov Scouls who a’sisled to remove the bodies .from beneath Hie train, and to render first aid to the injured. ANOTHER CRASH. MOTOR PASSENGERS KILLED. By Cubic —Press Association— Oopyri<ht. Aus'-ruhnn and N.Z. <’:ib!o Association. ADELAIDE. April 27-. As a train from Angnston to. Ado Inide reached a level crossing, three miles north of Gawler, it collided witli a motor ear occupied by .Mr Hogan, Ill's wife, two daughters and an infant The car was wrecked. All's Hogan and one da ugh ler were killed, ami Ihe oilier daughter and Ibe inlaid are suffering from head mid internal injuries and mo not canceled to recover. The I'al her is also in a critical cotidil ion.