A Train on Pire.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 340, 10 May 1881, Page 2

A Train on Pire.

A sensational incident (says a late issue of the Sydney Evening News) occurred on the train from Dubbo to Sydney. In a second class carriage were about a score of passengers, including some of the members of the Austrian Band; and shortly after Bowenfels had been passed, Herr Kuhr noticed smoke issue from under one of the seats. Considerable alarm was caused. The carriage was soon filled with smoke. Several members of the party climbed out through the window and on to the roof of the carriage, where they commenced shouting at the top of their voices to the driver. One man, Alfred Burgess, fell off in the attempt to climb on to the roof, and was afterwards picked up ; unconscious ; another, more skilful, managed to get out and mount the roof with a portmanteau and cloak in his hand. Matters began to be very critical by this time, and the shouts of those on the top were redoubled. It was not until after they had spent about twenty minutes in this way, however, that they were noticed by the driver, and the train stopped. Meanwhile, those left inside were half suffocated with the smoke, one lady having fainted, and all being terribly alarmed. As soon as the train was stopped, the passengers were transferred to another carriage, and the fire was put out. It was discovered that a large hole had been burned in the floor. Burgess was a blacksmith, resident ac Bathurst. He was conveyed to the Sydney Infirmary, and died next day.