TUBE ACCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17216, 6 December 1923, Page 1

TUBE ACCIDENT.

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY. TUBES SAFE AS MODE OF TRAVEL. By Tfelegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received December 6, 10,30 a.m.) LONDON, December 5. There is no reason for anxiety concerning the modern tube, as it is as safe as any other mode of travel and subsidence could not occur under normal conditions, declared the Ministry of Transport Inspector, at an inquiryin to the Newington accident. Drived Bunting gave evidence that twelve balks of timber fell, some ahead of the train and some on the rear coaches. He immediately stopped the removed the obstruction, and though gravel and water were falling, drove the train to safety. The Director of Underground Railways interjected that they had already recognised Driver Bunting’s commendable action. The stationmaster gave evidence thatby tho time he had fetched a hand

lamp after the first fall, the tube was completely and was not yet cleared!

A remarkable . accident occurred 'at South London ou the night of November *26. While a tube train was passing under . the Newington Causeway earth and stones began to fall on tpp of the carriages. .The driver raced, to the next station, where it was found that every carriage was covered with debris. In the meantime the roof and walls of the tube collapsed at the point mentioned, and the subsidence burst the gas and water mains, causing a great explosion, which tore up

the road, leaving a crater like, a war mine in tho roadway. The hole was large enough to take two omnibuses. A fierce column of flame shot up thirty feet from the roadway, resembling a burning oil well. Raving stones were hurled into the air, and tramway lines were twisted with the white- heat. Tramcars were pulled up on either side of the crater, and passers-by had surprising escapes. Water from the broken mains poured into the hole, to a depth of fifty feet, extinguishing the flames. Thousands of tons of earth subsided into the tube, 1000 yards of which collapsed. At midnight pumps were working from the roadway, while workmen below shovelled the earth into trucks. Workmen lately had been express ” states that the collapse oclarging the tube, and the “ Daily Excurred when they struck a running river of sand.