FIRE MOTOR SMASH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1433, 7 May 1912, Page 5

FIRE MOTOR SMASH.

| IN SUSSEX SQUARE. ONE OP THE FIREMEN INJURED. There is something fatal in a falso alarm of fire. In answering those colls several accidents liavo happened in Wellington, and one of a rather ■ serious character was added to tho list shortly after noon yesterday, when the Thornevcroft" fire-motor, which had lxsen called to tho hospital laundry only to find that its services were not required, came to grief at the junction of Sussox Square and Adelaide Bond on the return journey to town. The car was travelling at a fair rate of speed, and, when rounding the Caledonian Hotel corner, tho solid rubber tyre of ono of the front wheels camo off, and for a few moments the car becamo unmanageable. Fireman Hughes, who was driving, made an attempt to pull tho car round the corner, and it was turning when it crashed into a telephone post opposite tho Caledonian Hotel.

Fireman Joseph Borrctt, who was thrown by tho shock on to tho chemical reel at the top of the engine, had his collarbone broken. He was at onco removed to the hospital, where tho broken bono was set, and afterwards was removed to tho station, where ho is doing as well as can ba expected. Two men (including the driver) wero thrown oft' th« car, and thoso who stuck to the motor received a pretty severe shock. Luckily there was no explosion, or the results might have boon worse than they were. The petrol tank was bulged and bent, the front wheels and axle were bent and broken, the back wheel carriage was injured, and a good deal of the woodwork was smashed.

Tho car was much too badly. damaged to b9 brought bnc't to the station under its own power. On a closc examination it was found that the car could lie fairly easily repaired at the station, and internally had not been damaged so badly as anticipated.' Superintendent Tnit, who was on Hip car, state,? that tlio accident was caused bv on** of tho front wheels losing its tyro. The tyres that were being used did not belong to tho car, but had been made to fit in lieu of others. His impression was that it must liavo been squeezed olf -by catching in tho tram-line, as the car rounded tho comer. As soon as tho lyre came off the car would not steer, and a collision was inevitable.