ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

Southland Times, Issue 18831, 26 May 1920, Page 5

ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES

A REMARKABLE ESCAPE. MOTOR COLLIDES WITH TRAIN. PASSENGERS’ INJURIES SLIGHT. A party of motorists travelling from Invercargill to Thornbury on Saturday afternoon had a remarkable escape. The car, which was being driven by Mr T. Fleck, was travelling at a fair speed down the slope aproaching the railway crossing when the train appeared in sight and a collision appeared to be inevitable. The driver of the car, who had been under the impression that the (rain had passed, realised that he could not, bring the car to a standstill before the line was reached and endeavoured to turn the car so as to run alongside the train. The passage was hardly wide .enough, however, and the engine crashed into the front mudguard and slowed the car round, leaving it clear of the line. Although the mudguards were torn off the car and the radiator and the front wheels were smashed, the car did not overturn. The passengers were fortunate to escape with very slight injuries, hut the damage to the car was considerable. ANOTHER MOTOR ACCIDENT. CAR COLLIDES WITH TRAM-POLE. At about a quarter to ton o’clock on Monday night a motor car driven by Mr Wilson Hodges, and containing a passenger named William Claxton, collided with a tram-pole near the corner of Ness and Tweed streets. The car ..was turning out of Ness street at a slow pace into Tweed street in an easterly direction and as the car lights were generated from the engine they were not burning very brightly on account of the low speed. The tram-pole was not lighted, and was rtot noticed by the driver. The force of (he contact threw both the occupants forward in the car, but their injuries were not serious. The front part of the car was severely damaged.