SHOCKING TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1929, Page 3

SHOCKING TRAGEDY

TWO MEN BURNED TO DEATH. PINNED IN BLAZING LORRY AUCKLAND, May 22. Further particulars of the fatal lorry tragedy show that the accident which occurred late in the afternoon, was one of the worst reported in Auckland for many years. The driver and Riddick were horribly burned in lull view of numerous spectators. AY hen the lorry burst into flames, after colliding with the pole, Biddiek was abe to extricate himself frorn the wrecked driving cab by climbing through the windscreen, but he had been painfully burned before lie reached the roadwayv Meantime, the unfortunate driver was writhing in agony on his seat, where he was pinned by the steering column. Spectators looked on helplessly. Long-reaching tongues of flame made it impossible for anyone to approach AA r ilkin, whose clothing was a mass of flames. In a. state of collapse as the result of his fearful suffering, Wilkin at last wrenched himself free , from his seat of torture. He tumbled lion to the concrete roadway, and helpers smothered his flaming clothing ' with rugs. Not till afterwards was' it discovered that patent chemical extinguisher, carried in the driving cab of the lorry, had been thrown on the i road by the impact. Had anyone noticed it, the contrivance might have been used effectively in spraying Wilkin’s clothing. As it was the extinguisher was knocked far out of reach of the unfortunate driver, who possibly could have done something himself to quench the flames had it remained in its fixture.

Eye-witnesses say that the lorry was being driven towards the city along Mount Eden Road, and was running alongside a tramcar when near the intersection of Prospect Rise. It is said that the lorry driver accelerated to pass the tram before reaching the point where a. stationary van was standing by the kerb. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the lorry struck the van in the rear, knocking it 15 feet across tfie pavement. The lorry swerved and struck the tram, a glancing blow. Following this impact, the lorry swerved to the left and collided with a kerbside telegraph pole with great force. Simultaneously with the crash, flames leapt from the petrol tank, and almost in a second the vehicle was enveloped in fire. The cab of the lorry was ablaze before the three occupants had recovered from tlie shock of the impact. George Ulicli, who was sitting on the side nearest the kerb, was bumped from his seat when the lorry crashed, and when spectators picked him up his head was bleeding freely. Bystanders carried him clear of the flames, which created an intense heat, and spread to the telegraph pole, which was considerably damaged. It was charred to the top, the two cross-arms being nearly burned through. Spectators say that Wilkin was mantled in fire as the flames licked up from the petrol tank immediately beneath his seat. Shortly after his escape from the cab, the whole of the woodwork was destroyed and the top fell in. There was a delay in summoning doctors, an ambulance, and the Fire Brigade, since telephones, connected with houses nearby, were thrown out of working order, owing to the fact that several telephone wires were brought down by the impact when the lorry struck the pole. Fortunately the electric power lines, carrying sufficient current to kill, were not detached from the post. The St. John Ambulance made the journey from Rutland Street to the scene of the accident in five minutes, the hospital ambulance arriving soon afterwards. Prompt through the ambulances were, it was

deemed advisable to rush Biddiek and Ulicli to the hospital in. private motorcars. Before their arrival, AY’ilkin was carried into a house, where everything was done to ease his sufferings. Vitle, who escaped from the back of .he lorry, was most active in helping the injured men. The Mount Eden FireBrigade arrived soon after Wilkin had escaped from the driver’s seat, and the fire was put out.