A TERRIBLE DEATH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 228, 1 February 1911, Page 5

A TERRIBLE DEATH

CRUSHED AND SCALDED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Blenheim, Last Night. At the inquest on the victims of the fatality at Nydia Bay on Saturday, evidence showed that the engine was bringing several log-laden trucks, from the bush, and when about three-quarters ot a mile from the mill, in the Opotin Valley, on a perfectly level road, the locomotive ran off the line and crashed into a big stump a few feet away. Coupled to the locomotive was a tender, with a 400-gallon tank. Next were two trucks carrying logs. The engine was in charge of Birss, O'Brien acting as brakesman, while Corliss, Anderson, and Climo wert, in the tender.

When the tender struck the stump the impetus caused a log on the first truck to lunge forward, and it struck the tank with such terrible force as to crumple it up. Anderson and O'Brien were hurled against the boiler, the valves of which snapped off, allowing such a volume of steam to escape thai the two men were almost parboiled. Corliss seemed to have been thrown clear of the wreck. Neither Climo nor Birss knows how he got out. When the rush of steam subsided Anderson and O'Brien were lifted out dead, and Corliss was so badly hurt that it was; seen he could not recover. Climo had very severe injuries to his face, while Birss suffered chiefly from shock. Medical evidence was to the effect that; Corliss suffered two compound fractures of the right leg, and the whole of the left side of his chest was crushed in. Anderson's injuries were a compound fracture of the left arm and a fractured skull, the whole of the back of his head being crushed. O'Brien had a dreadful wound, a fractured jaw, and his neck was broken.

The Coroner and jury visited the scene of the accident, but were unable to find any reason for the disaster. At the time the engine was running at about five or six miles an hour. Aftev the available evidence had been 'taken, the inquest was adjourned till Birss and Climo have sufficiently recovered to give their testimony.