THREE BRITISH VICTIMS IN FRENCH EXPRESS SMASH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17995, 4 November 1926, Page 1

THREE BRITISH VICTIMS IN FRENCH EXPRESS SMASH.

TRAIN CRASHES INTO COACHES IN FOG. (Special to the “ Star.”) , PARIS, September 23. Among the victims of the French express smash near Fontainebleau this morning are three British passengers,

one of whom is reported killed and the other two injured. The dead man is said to be a guide of the Bunn travelling agency, living in Paris. The injured are:— Canon Frederick Dent, of the Roman Catholic Church, Tonypandy, both legs broken, and Mr Patrick O’Gorman, an Irish Free State citizen. Eight persons were killed in the smash, including Mr Eugene Montgomery, aged twenty-six, an American

student of Blue Springs, Missouri, who was returning from Geneva. Fourteen were hurt. SMASH AT TOP SPEED. The crash was due to three carriages having broken away from the Marseilles express. The Lyons-Paris express crashed into these while travelling at high speed. The couplings of the carriages on the first train had broken, owing to the brakes having been put on too suddenly, and the first part of the train went on without them. A thick fog prevented the driver of the second train from seeing the obstruction on the line. The crash was terrific, the three carriages. being hurled a considerable distance. The engine of the second train

overturned and the three following carriages were telescoped. The driver and fireman were pinned under the engine and could not be extricated for several hours. The driver died from his injuries. It was some time before the driver of the front train noticed that he had left three carriages on the line behind him. He at once went back, but was too late to aevrt the tragedy, though he was able to take the passengers and . 1 injured to Paris.