CROSSING DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 19 June 1930, Page 5

CROSSING DISASTER

HOW CRASH OCCURRED

That Ralph Smith, the car driver, may not have seen the crossing-keep-er’s signal when he came quickly on to pass a. yellow car which was halted on tlie opposite side of the line, was tile suggestion of one eye-witness, Robert Cooke, who was driving a truck towards Christchurch. AVben Air Cooke saw the green light, he stopped his engine and saw the train coming down the line. The Austin car, coming on at about 20 or zo miles an hour, was caught by the engine, broadside on, right in the puddle of the track, and carried into the caule-stop. Had it been going a little faster, it m have got over the crossing in time. When the locomotive crashed into it, glass was hurled yards down the line, seats were thrown in the air, and the driving-wheel bounded back on to the road. The five people in the car seemed to be hurled through the hood and side. Mr Cooke spoke to one of the women just as she died. There was a tremendous noise as the engine ground its way along the track over the car and finally toppled over, piling up the cattle trucks behind it. According to a statement by AH J. L. Ben fell, an uncle of Nurse BenFell. a suitcase of clothes which was in the motor car was removed from the scene of the accident by somebody without authority. Nurses Ben fell and Palmer had been staying with him over the week-end.