TRAGEDY FEARED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1943, Page 4

TRAGEDY FEARED

COLLAPSE OF BRIDGE SPAN PLUNGE INTO RIVER. MOTOR VEHICLES AND CYCLISTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.' WELLINGTON, This Day. Through the collapse of the centre span of the Whirokino Bridge, which crosses the Manawatu River about four miles south of Foxtqn, two, possibly three, motor-vehicles with their occupants, and two cyclists were plunged into the river. The cyclists and the occupants of two motor-ve-hicles are known to be safe, though two persons were taken to Palmerston North Hospital, but there is no trace of an occupant or occupants of a third vehicle which it is thought may have been the first to go through.

Apart from a transport lorry which, because of vegetables seen rising and floating away, it is thought may be submerged, the first vehicle to go through the hole in the bridge was a jeep in which, it is stated, there were two marines and a woman. One of the marines was able to swim, and made his way to the south side of the river. His companion, either through injury or other cause, could not swim, and was aided by the woman, to the northern side, and was later sent by ambulance to Palmerston North Hospital, in an unconscious state.

Before steps could be taken by those present to halt further traffic a private car also went through the gap. Both the occupants were able to free themselves from the car and swim ashore. Two cyclists also went through the gap when travelling southward from Foxton.

The police at Foxton stated last night that it was impossible to see much at the scene of the accidents, and it was not possible to say whether a transport lorry, as feared by those on the south side of the river, had been among the vehicles to fall into the river.