AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1926, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.! TUNNEL TRAGEDY'. SYDNEY, July 10. A goods train, bound from Sydney to Werris Creek, got out of control and derailed near Alurrurundi. The fireman, John Heffernan, was killedj and the driver, Holt, was sent to the hospital suffering from severe burns.

The train was completely wrecked. It is stated that the driver and "fireman were overcome hy fumes in the tunnel. The train dashed several miles at high .speed, with them lying unconscious in the cab of the engine. SYDNEY, July 11.

The railway accident at Alurrumudgi has badly dislocated the northern traffic and the track is badly damaged. It is blocked with the wreckage of forty-six trucks. Forty trucks wer destroyed or severly damaged. The guard was not aware there was anything wrong with the train crew until the train left the tunnel, when it commenced to race down the grade, passing a station, where it should have stopped, at the rate of sixty miles an hour. The guard applied the brakes, hut the train continued its terrific speed until it. was derailed. Holt states that he felt stifled, and lie remembered nothing more till the train stooped and lie found himself lying across the fireman’s body.