THE LATE RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5273, 16 February 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE LATE RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

The Sydney Marning Herald supplies tho following particulars of the recent serious accident on the Western lino in that colony ; A railway accident of a more serious nature, as regards loss of life, than had previously occurred in the oniony, took place on Wednesday night about 11.10 o'clock on the western lino running through Emu Plains. It happened in consequence of a violent collision between the ordinary goods train timed to leave Penrith at 11 o’clock p.m. and a special goods train proceeding towards that station; and it is fortunate that the accident did not occur between passenger trains travelling at the same rate of speed. As it is, three men unfortunately have been killed, and two very severely injured. The former are .John Egan (driver), John Wiggins (fireman), and Brady (an assistant guard), who were all engaged on the leading engine of tho train leaving Penrith ; and tho latter are John Larking (fireman) and Michael Stevenson (driver), both of the special train. It is supposed that Egan and Wiggins were killed instantaneously by the tremendous concussion between the locomotives, but how Brady lost hia life is not at present clear, as 1 he may have attempted to jump off the engine, and been crushed afterwards. It was some time before bis body was discovered, and it was in a fearfully mutilated condition. The guard of the up special was fortunate to escape without material injury beyond a severe shaking. Immediately upon the accident being made known, some of the railway officials went to the spot and found a scene of awful confusion and wreck. Sparks from the engine furnaces had been blown about by the wind, and had got amongst the trucks and debris, and set fire to them, and tire result was that out of some twenty-two merchandise wagons on tire down train, there were no less than nine literally burned to cinders. Out of the other train, consisting of thirteen trucks of coal and shale, live were destroyed, three being wholly and two partly burnt. It is said that one of the carriages near to those which were burnt contained dynamite and other explosives. The engines, which were thrown over, rolled down the bank, and of course arc damaged almost irremediably. No time was lost in looking after tho dead and the injured. Dr. Duncan fortunately happened to be near tho spot, and on being sent for immediately went to the assistance of Stevenson and Barkinrq until they could be scut to Penrith, where Dr. Johnson’ attended to tjjem. Eventually they wore forwarded at two o’clock this morning by a goods train to Sydney, and afterwards conveyed to tho infirmary. Stops are now being taken for the removal of the wreck. It is stated that driver John Egan leaves a wife and several children, and that fireman Wiggins has, unfortunately, done the same. An inquiry will be immediately held into the circumstances attending the accident, at which its causes are expected to be made known.

We have obtained the following information from the Sydney Infirmary concerning the condition of the men who were injured in this accident, and who have been removed to the Accident Ward for treatment;—John Larking, 35 years of age, who was fireman on the engine from Mount Victoria to Penrith, is suffering from scalded legs and arms, which are in a terribly bad state of excoriation ; his nervous system is also considerably shaken by the catastrophe. In the opinion of the nurse this is a most serious case, not merely on account of the scalds, but in consequence of the low mental condition to which the patient has been reduced.

The other case is that of Michael Stevenson, thirty years of age, who was the engine-driver of tho train from Penrith to Bathurst. This man fortunately escaped with very slight injuries. He also is scalded on one leg, but not to any groat extent, and there are a few slight bruises about the body. This is not considered to bo a serious case.