TERRIBLE SMASH.

Waikato Times, Issue 12860, 6 May 1914, Page 2

TERRIBLE SMASH.

QUEEN STREET ACCIDENT. FIKE MOTOR RUNS INTO A TRAMWAY POLK, SEVERAL MEX INJURED. AUCKLAND, Tuesday. A bad smash took place this afternoon at 3 o'clock at the corner of Queen and Wcllesley streets, when several firemen Mere badly injured. The motor fire engine had received a call, and was coming down Queen street from Grey street at a tremendous pace. When approaching the W.ellesley street corner it was thought that the way would have been kept clear, so that the fire engine could have kept on travelling straight down the main street. ' Just at the critical moment, however, a tramcar, bound for Ponsonby, swung right round on the Wellesley street bend, right in the track of the approaching fire engine. A smash was inevitable. There was' no room to pass the car, which presented itself broadside on. The motor man had his choice (it dashing into the car or of taking the sidewalk to the left, or the tramway pole to the right. He chose the right, and tried hard to clear the iron centre pole in the middle of the street. His effort, however, failed, and the motor engine, travelling probably at 30 miles an hour, went crash into the iron pole. The impact was tremendous. The fire engine was smashed to pieces, and the dozen men aboard were thrown in every direction. One was thrown right under the tramcar, which was still moving, and was terribly injured. Others were picked up insensible, and token to the hospital. Two men, named MeKie and Hall, were severely injured, and had to be taken to the hospital. The cal! to a fire was a false ahum.