TRAIN DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1926, Page 1

TRAIN DISASTER

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

TWENTY-FIVE COFFINS DEPART [Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.! SYDNEY, Sept. 15. The town of Scone has been the scene of feverish activity for the past two days, twenty-five coffins Tor tho victims of the disaster being manufactured for the bodies, lying at Murrurundi Hospital. All day the town watched a gloomy trek as lorry after lorry departed with a .sinister load for Murrurnndi. Tlie town is paralysed, business being dead in the town, which was only just recovering from the horror of the Aberdeen disaster. All day long there lias been a procession of people viewing the bodies at Murrurundi Hospital. Most of them are so terribly disfigured that even the relatives wero unable to identity them.

The second class carriage which was crushed by the charging trucks was a jumble of wreckage, in which more than thirty passengers were imprisoned in a dentil trap, which resisted the efforts of the rescuers for more than two hours, during which time the screams of the injured went on unceasingly. The rescuers finally had to lever off the roof of tlio carriage lieforc they were able to release the victims.

Only the doctors and nurses who rushed to the scene are able to give a coherent account of the ghastly plight of the people pinned under the debris, the survivors being too shaken to collect any thoughts about the hours of horror during which they were imprisoned. The doctors grasped the limbs of tho injured as they protruded from the wreckage and injected morphia to ease their pain. ' As Hie rescuers hacked their way to the victims, every stroke, of the axe in the tangled woodwork was answered hy a shriek from someone who had been tortured hy the concussion. One rescuer, of giant build, who was wielding ail axe with incredible vigour, suddenly collapsed as he opened the way to the terribly mangled body of a woman. OFFICIAL LIST OF KILLED. SYDNEY, Sept. 15. A revised official list of the killed was issued to-day as follows: Mrs Arkland, A. Iv. Adams, Airs Andorton, A. C. Bush. Miss .Janet Doyle, John Dunbar, Ada Tripp, John Giles, Airs Giles, A. Jefferson, Arthur Jurd, Sydney Alallctt, J. R. Mockbridgc (of Dunedin New Zealand)) Oweif McGrath, Airs A. McDonald. AY. McMillan, F. AlcKcown, Sydney Xoller, ATaster Rich. Clarice Sampson, Peter Vnginias, Mr Wilson and Airs Wilson, James. Walker, Aliss Kathleen Alalone and one unidentified woman.

There were also forty-two injured, a number of whom, however, are only suffering slightly from shock.

ANOTHER DISASTER

.JUST AVERTED. SYDNEJV. Sept. 15. A .serious disaster was narrowly averted early tin's morning near .Tunee. Tbe front liogey wheel of the engine of the Melbourne express cam© off when nearing Illahe. and the engine was derailed, but the carriages kept the track. Traffic was disorganised for several hours. A MOTHER’S AGONY. SYDNEY. Sept. 15. The final victim of the railway disaster has been identified as Mrs Elizabeth Garland, of Coonoo-Ooonoo. Moekbridge. late of Dunedin, was identified by a friend of the family. It is understood that -Mrs Mock bridge is seriously ill at Dunedin. Harrowing details continue to be related hv the survivors as they recover from the shock of the disaster. One woman was jammed between two carriage seats, and held firmly in a sitting position. She was terribly injured, and on her lap was her baby, with its life crushed out. On her way to the hospital, the mother kept moaning for her baby.

WIIAT DAYLIGHT REVEALED. SYDNEY, Sept. 15

As the rescuers toiled on. the tragedy they uncovered grew in intensity. Almost every passenger they dug from the debris had a leg or an arm broken. The seats had closed together when the terrible impact came, ami held the unfortunate passengers last. The carriage walls' crumpled on their heads, and an avalanche of luggage held them down. As dawn came the horrors that had been hidden by the darkness were revealed. On the metalled patch at the side of the line lay twenty-four bundles swathed in blood-stained blankets. Women in kimonos were wandering dazedly along the track, searching for relatives. They east horrified glances at these bundles, but were afraid to look at them closely. Away from the tumult of the resrir work, clergymen knelt comforting the seriously injured.

The opinion is expressed that many died from exposure following their injuries. This was inevitable, owing to the difficulty and delay in extricating them.

A preliminary inquiry into the disaster was opened hv the Coroner at Alurruurumli as the bodies lay in blankets on the floor of the stationma.ster’s office. The inquiry was adjourned till Sept. 2Dlh. There was a sorrowful spectacle ns the relatives, striking matches and carrying kerosene lamps, endeavoured to identify the bodies.