CROSSING SMASH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 135, 5 December 1938, Page 11

CROSSING SMASH

ANOTHER SEVERELY HURT

CAR IN FLAMES

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, December 4.

In a collision on the Titirangi railway crossing between a north-ward-bound special goods train and a fivc-seatcr saloon motorcar, just after 3.30 p.m. on Saturday, a man and woman were killed and a second woman was severely injured. Those killed were: Charles Purnell Parkerson. married, aged 60 years, retired company organiser and salesman, of Princess Street, Otahuhu. Mrs. Angelina Harrison, aged 56 years, Norfolk Street, Ponsonby. Miss Evelyn Harrison, aged 38 years, dressmaker, Norfolk Street, Ponsonby, and daughter of Mrs. Harrison, was severely injured. She has a dressmaking business in the Dilworth Buildings. Struck broadside on by the engine of the goods train, which had just left New Lynn for Whangarei, the car was carried over a cattlestop, flames coming from it before it slewed to one side. It came to rest upside down facing the road more than 48 feet from the place of the collision. Petrol flowed freely, the car being a blazing ■wreck. Miss Harrison, who was thrown clear about 30 yards from where the car came to rest, suffered scalp wounds and severe burns. Her clothing "caught fire. She had been sitting next to Mr. Parkerson, who was pulled clear by the driver of the train, which had stopped just past the car. Mr. Farkersbn's clothing was then burning and much of it had disappeared. He was then dead. WOMAN INCINERATED. At that stage it was impossible to recover the body of Mrs. Harrison, who ■was in the back of the blazing car, the heat of the fire being terrific. Not till the Avondale fire brigade arrived and suppressed the flames were the charred and unrecognisable remains of j Mrs. Harrison removed from the wreckage, which, was then little more than a skeleton. It was at first thought that the remains were those of a man, subsequent identification of the body being afforded by a small portion of dress material and some beads. Not till about •three hours after the accident was identification made by Mr. Robert Moles, labourer, who resided at the home of Mrs. Harrison. _ > Miss Harrison was conscious and inquired about her mother before the arrival of an ambulance. In the ambulance which also carried the body of Mr. Parkerson, she became unconscious and soon after her arrival at the Auckland Hospital she underwent an operation. Subsequently the body of Mrs. Harrison was taken to the mortuary at the hospital in an ambulance. FIREMAN AFFECTED. i The fireman of the train was so; affected by the accident that he wasj imable to. continue the journey and had i to be taken to his home. Another fireman had to be found and the train was delayed for 40 minutes. The occupants of the car had been lor a drive to Titirangi and were returning. When they approached the j Great North Road, according to Reginald Earl, a youth of 17 years who witnessed the accident, the locomotive] whistle sounded twice and bells were ringing on the crossing. "I thought at first the car would just clear the engine," he said. "Then there was' a crash." Other eye-witnesses were a man and his little girl. The father was holding up his child to see the train pass when the collision occurred. The Titirangi crossing was the scene of much constructional activity for some time. Newly-aligned tracks were recently laid to replace the former line, and high banks have been formed in preparation for the erection of an overhead railway bridge to eliminate the level crossing.