ISOLATED SCENE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21113, 5 June 1943, Page 4

ISOLATED SCENE

MEDICAL AID RUSHED PATHETIC INCIDENTS WOMAN’S BUFFERINGS (P.A.) DUNEDIN, June 5. News from the scene of the disaster slates that at- a late hour last night 15 bodies had been recovered and at least: two more were still in the wreckage. Pew details are yet available, but as information comes to hand from (he isolated scone of tlu; accident the magnitude of the disaster and the weil-organised despatch with which the emergency was met become apparent. A tragic incident was that in which an elderly woman was rescued but lost her husband, a daughter and two grand-children ainong the killed. In another instance a woman was rescued after being pinned under the wreckage for five it burs, during the whole of which time she remained conscious. She was pinned'"by her legs and the rescuers were finable to sot her free.

Immediately following the accident, doe-tors were called in from all the neighbouring centres and local resi-dents,-its well as the ambulance and railway stall’s, gave valuable assistance.

The injured were removed to the Ranfurly Hospital, where about '53 were accommodated. A few were sent to Middlomareh Hospital and a few more came to Dunedin. The first information of the disaster was received in Dunedin at 2.9 p.m. by a telephone from . Waipiata, the call being sent by a man who hud walked a mile from the scene.