Traffic in Chaos

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 235, 23 December 1927, Page 9

Traffic in Chaos

ALL LONDON FROZEN

Two Thousand Hurt

By Cable. — Frets Association.—Copyright. LONDON, Wednesday. IT is estimated that 2,000 persons were injured and treated in the hospitals as the result of the most remarkable weather freak experienced in London within memory.

CNOW began to fall at midnight in the frozen city, when a warm current of air was wafted from the west, making a difference of 12 degrees between the upper and lower temperatures. It turned the snow into rain. The ground, however, was so frozen that the rain was immediately turned into ice. Thus, by morning, London was converted into a gigantic skating rink, with a quarter of an inch of glazed frost on the ground. Walking was impossible and people fell about everywhere like ninepins, or were to be seen clinging to railings and unable to move. Many tied newspapers or rags around their boots to prevent themselves slipping. Thousands, however, did not venture from their homes. SLIDING VEHICLES The traffic was in indescribable chaos. Motor vehicles slid dangerously and turned completely round, while horses were quite unable to proceed. The trains were thrown into entire confusion, as their wheels would not grip the frozen rails. Thousands of the workers who usually travel by train were stranded. They streamed out from the stations in search of motor-buses, which, however, were standing helplessly in the

streets. Scores of vehicles -which did brave the impossible conditions were overturned. A thousand buses were unable to leave the garages. The hospitals were converted into scenes which resembled the casualty clearing stations in France during the war. All previous records for ambulance calls were broken. There were many serious cases of fractured limbs and even several deaths. Later in the morning rain fell and rendered the roads temporarily more treacherous, but a thaw set in in the afternoon. PARIS ICE-BOUND Similar scenes were witnessed in Paris, -where 400 persons were sent to hospital, some with seriously fractured limbs, and four or five with fatal injuries. Midnight revellers at Montmartre found their taxicabs unable to move. Hundreds of vehicles were backed against the kerbs to prevent their sliding downhill.

The morning milk and newspapers were not delivered owing to the impossibility of walking or driving. One motor-car skidded the full width of the road on to the footpath and killed a woman and injured four other persons Hundreds of accidents to vehicles were reported throughout the city.—A. and N.Z.