TRAIN SMASH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 296, 24 May 1915, Page 4

TRAIN SMASH

TERRIBLE DISASTER AT HOME. THREE' TRAINS COLLIDE. TROOP TRAIN INVOLVED. MANY LIVES LOST. FIRE BREAKS OUT. ■PITIABLE SCENES 'WITNESSED. Received May 23, 3.30 p.m. London, May 22,. A collision took place between a troop train and a passenger train at (ir.etmi, near Carlisle. Both trains to6k lire. It i, reported that many passengers were killed and three hundred soldiers were injured. Received May 23, 11 p.m. London, 'May 23. A local train from Carlisle was shunting at (iretna to enable the midnight express from Eiiiton to pass, when a troop train with companies of the Ist and 7th Royal Scots, proceeding southward, dashed into the local,- partly wrecking it. The troop trajn. was 'telescoped to the centre.. A fire started, and then horror leaped on horror.

' The London express dashed into tin debris of both tra-ins,. and everything was piled in indescribable confusion. A strong wind fanned the flames, and a great conflagration occurred, involving a long line of wagons on an adjoining siding.

Soldiers who escaped displayed fine heroism endeavoring to extricate the injured. The fire was so fierce that sever al carriages were unapproachable. It is believed most of the express passengers escaped. Three o(rieer.s — -Ma jor Hamilton, Captain J. N. Mitchell, and Lieut. C. Salvcsen, a nephew of Lord Salvesen—perished, and many soldiers sustained broken limbs. Two soldiers were pinned under burning wreckage, shouting '-1' or Clod's sake get me out 1 ." Dr. Edwards showed great bravery. Jle amputated one man's leg and both, legs of another man, one of whom died. There were 14 officers and 4C5 men on board the troop train. The Red Cross ambulance was quickly available. Hundreds of the injured were transported to (iretna and Carlisle. The groans and cries of the victims were piti*hle. Eire, brigades were despatched, but there was little hope from the outset, for the victims were pinned by the wreckage. T\yenty were killed outright in a telescoped carriage.. A man was nipped by a door anil only released by the amputation of his arm.

No one was hurt in the local train, which was almost empty. The driver and fireman of the troop train were killed.

After the first collision the carriages and engines were hurled across the London line. Almost immediately the express, drawn by two engines, tore iuto the wreckage, and the four engines were bunched in a heap. The. heat drove the. rescuers back repeatedly, and they had to leave many victims buried alive. An ammunition waggon, at the rear ot the troop train, and its contents was removed safely. There were, minor explosions from cartridges carried by the troops. Seventy-three, bodies, including those; of a few civilians, have been recovered. Four or five express passengers were killed.