NAPIER TRAIN SMASH

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1925, Page 1

NAPIER TRAIN SMASH

F FI! Til El! DKTAIFF. BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. HASTINGS, September 2.*i. -Marks on the permanent way show that the engine of the Palmerston to Napier mail train left the rails in a little more than its own length lietore turning sideways, and partially turning its forepart into the north bank of a narrow cutting, leaving enough room for the carriages to pass The wrench broke the coupling til the lirst carriage, which, followed bv the

two succeeding carriages, continued well past the derailed locomotive. The second carriage and locomotive halted level with the smoke box and the third parallel with the fire box and tender. The fourth carriage was behind the tender. It bail lelt the rail-, and was badly splintered and lying on its side. The fifth carriage had not left the rati-, but Its rear platform had lifted on to the front platform of the sixth

c:t triage. If the derailed engine had not left a clear passage for the first four carriages. all would have telescoped and piled up, and probably the greatest railway tragedy south of the line would have been recorded in the news papers to-day. Wit It ;i blood-stained face and covered iiitli wet mud from bead to feet. Fireman Donovan won Lite admiration ot till by his cheerfulness and energy. " I want you to put something in your paper about that fireman,“ sail! a passenger, who himself bad not escaped injury. "AVhon she struck, he wtts thrown violently out, hut lie [licked himself up. and pulled out his mate, who was buried to the hips and he was then among the lirsi to get out the injured passengers, ami he kept going until all the carriages were cleared.” The guard of the wrecked train, .-•peaking lo the same reporter, said: "Oh. Donovan! lie’s a litlc hero!” A Havelock North resilient, a passenger in the first carriage, on the wrecked express, stated that everything went well until after leaving Waipawa. when the speed was increased. In fact several persons in It is compartment were thrown from one -idc to the other by the lurches, and then ,a crash, when the hank seemed to smash against the carriage. lie climbed nut of the window' and helped to gel the ladies out. He tilt'll assisted the injured, and. with his pocket knife, tinder the supervision of a nurse he amputated the arm of a fellow passenger.

I lie scene of suffering was terrible, and help to them seemed a long time in coming. All the while, the engine was spurting steam and hot water. The guard and the fireman were heroes working hard lor the relief of the suflerers. The Havelock passenger escaped with two had cuts on his right arm and bruises on the legs. SKVKX SFIiIOFS CAFKF. HAFTINGF, September 2.'(. V> Inm tin' ambulance train returned to Hastings at last night, the platform was crowded with excited and anxious people wolmi the police controlled with difficulty. Kxaggeraled stories were in circulation, making tlm anxious relatives and friends more than ever apprehensive. There were 7 serious cases, including Aliss Begley. Fite died soon after admission to the lloy.xton Hospital. The serious eases were carried on stretchers across to the institution, under the supervision of doctors and nurses. Four serious cases, with several -lightly injured, were taken on to Napier. All looked in a -ore plight, with their blood-stained bandages and pale laces, and bearing all the evidence of

PASSKXCKIES STORY. Ernest Knowles, of Wellington, ivpresenting the United Stales Rubber Co., who was a passenger, gives the following account: — “l. occupied a seal in a smoking carriage (first class) at the real' of the train. We were lather late in leaving Waipawa, and as we started to ascend Te Ante Hill, the train seemed to he gaining speed. Rounding the first bend, the carriages swayed heavily and 'ill secs, after this she was running practically al HO miles an hour. I thought something was going to happen. As I glanced out of the window. I saw a cloud of dust al the front of the train, and she pulled up with a grinding noise. I immediately dashed to the door. saying: "Come on hoys! ‘■die’s over!” As I leaped from the train, the first sight I saw was a second-class smoking carriage on its side, thrown tip on the hank. 1 immediately organised a small hand of helpers, and we tore off the wreckage of seats, and got the passengers oul in good order. They behaved like heroes, not a murmur being heard from any man, although many of them were knocked about and were suffering from scalp wounds. It took 1 minutes to clear that carriage, the patients being placed on cushions or improvised stretchers, .lust alter we cleared the carriage the wreckage broke into llnmcs, and 1 suggested that those injured lie moved down a grassy I.nitlr into -afely. At this stage the engine liretuan came forward, and rendered good service with an axe in cutling awav a fence to allow us to get through. Soon after this, a number of willing helper-, arrived in cars from Waipawa. Just al this moment, I discovered tin" engine driver buried under soft soil with his head just out ol one of the call port holes, hut he did not seem to he badly hurt. Willing helpers soon released him from his pnsii ion.

lIASTIXCS. September 2d. A statement that those in the rear of the train were unaware that an accident had happened was made hv an occupant of one of them. He said that beyond feeling a jolting sensation, it was not until they finally pulled up that they knew what had taken place. However, even those in the end of the train, whose views would he most unlikely distorted by any cause of personal injury concurred a general expression of disapproval of the speed ot the train. It as alleged by one passenger that tlio pace at which the train was travelling was far greater and far more alarming than that of the Limited. Anyway, lie concluded, to sum up the train was going ridiculously last, and most certainly too fast at such a dangerous point.