TRAM ACCIDENT

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22063, 14 June 1943, Page 4

TRAM ACCIDENT

VEHICLE CAPSIZES ONE KILLED, 28 INJURED (By Telegraph—press Association) WELLINGTON, Sunday Resulting in the death of an air- ! man and injuries to 28 people, one of ! the worst tram accidents in the history of Wellington occurred at the intersection of Coutts Street and Onepu Road, Kilbirnie, shortly after i seven o’clock last night, when a heavily laden car proceeding toward the | centre of the city left the rails and | crashed on its side. The passenger i who lost his life was— Leading-Aircraftman James Edward Kerr, R.X.Z.A.F., aged 27, of Geraldine. ! The injured passengers included 12 i women and three boys. Among the i men were members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. In several in- ! stances two members of a family i suffered injuries. There were a num- ' her of serious cases, but some of the | patients were able to go home after ! treatment at hospital. The tramcar was fully laden with passengers from the Seatoun and Miramar districts on the way to j town. The front bogey of the car, instead of proceeding straight on i across the intersection as the car was j routed, began to take the turn to ! the right into Onepu Road. The rear ' bogey, however, seems to have taken j the intended course across the inter- | section, with the result that both sets ! of wheels left the rails and the cai developed a skid. The rear end swung round past the front, and the car crashed over upon what had originally been its near side of the ! pavement. ! Having swung round in its skid the l ti’am fell on the side on which the doors were open, so that it was for a time not possible for the people who rushed to the scene to reach those injured and trapped inside, many of whom were calling for help.