TWO HURT IN SMASH AT CROSSING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 61, 30 March 1937, Page 4

TWO HURT IN SMASH AT CROSSING

Motor Van Wrecked By Engine AWATOTO ACCIDENT Two young men were injured on Saturday afternoon when the van in Which they were driving collided with a i-ailway engine at Woodcock's crossing at Awatoto. Both men were temoved to the Napier Public Hospital, . where one is still a patient. The van was extehsively damaged. It is considered fortunate that the men's injuries were not more serious. Those concerned were;— DOUGLAS ANDERSON, of Westshore, now a patient in the Napier Public Hospital, suffering from severe cuts, bruises and slight concussion. ROlffeRT KETE, 136 McGrath street, Napier, superficial cuts and bruises. Discharged from the hospital after receiving attention. The vnn had been driven toward the crossing from the direction of Hastings, and had passed the engine, which was travelling in the same direction. Mr Anderson had been driving, but shortly bfeore the accident turned the wheel over to Mr Kite, who apparently did not see the engine. ^ The vah turned down from the Marino Parade at the level crossing, and was partly across the lines when the engine, driven by Mr F. Goodall, with Mr T. Donovan as fireman, struck it. The engine, which Was returning from Hastings, had no trucks or carriages attached, and was being driven backwards. So great was the force of the collirsion that the tray and bodywork of the Van was toru off and thrown several yards in front of the van. The van itself was thrown off the track and through a fence, and the left-hand side of the cab was torn off. Mr Anderson, whose seat was nearest the engine, received the more serious injuries, and Mr Kite was also slightly hurt. A curious feature of the accident was that the bonnet and engine of the Van were not even seratched, although the chassis itt the rear portion Was twisted.