RAILWAY SMASH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 November 1943, Page 4

RAILWAY SMASH

DERAILMENT ACCIDENT AT HAYWARDS TWO PASSENGERS KILLED. NUMBER SERIOUSLY INJURED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Two passengers, both women, were killed, and a number were seriously injured, when this morning’s 7.25 o’clock train from Upper Hutt to Wellington was derailed at Haywards. An engine and four cars were derailed. The front car of the train was wrecked and the guard’s van was damaged. American and New Zealand service 'men assisted in extricating and attending to the injured. The derailment occurred at the place at which there was a minor derailment last August. On that occasion no one was injured. CARRIAGE WRECKED PARTICULARS OF CASUALTIES. GUARD AMONG INJURED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Disaster overtook the 7.25 Upper Hutt-Wellington suburban passenger train near Haywards this morning. Of eight carriages, four were derailed, with the locomotive, and the first carriage was completely smashed. A number of the' less seriously injured were rushed to hospital by ambulance services. First on the scene was a party of United States Marine Corps engineers, quickly followed by doctors and nurses from an American Navy hospital and a party of doctors and orderlies from the Trentham military camp and hospital. A working party of New Zealand Army railway workers and policemen arrived soon afterwards, but a wrecking train did not arrive till 10.10 a.m. The first carriage, of the old, longseated type, with a guard’s compartment, next to the locomotive, had only about half a dozen vacant seats. Its upper works were cut through from end to end. It is stripped to an absolutely bare deck, which lies on the right side of the track. The roof and matchwood seating and the side walls were carried to the left side. The locomotive is lying jammed against a shallow embankment. The marvel is that any escaped from this first carriage trap. Four carriages at the rear of the train remained on the line. The injured include the guard. Mr A. R. Sheridan, who suffered injuries to his spine and lacerations. He was the only member of the train crew hurt. Following is the casualty list: — KILLED. Mrs Mgaire. Pearl Rowe, Severn Street, Upper Hutt. An unidentified young woman. INJURED. Mr P. G. Thomas, Trentham, left leg amputated, fractured left arm. Mrs Body, Upper Hutt, leg amputated below knee. Miss P. Rodgers, Wallaceville, fractured jaw, lacerated face. Mr A. Sheridan, railway" guard, Wellington, lacerated face and head and back injuries. Mr P. Rodgers, Wallaceville, lacerated head wounds. Mr F. Ward, Wallaceville, lacerated face. Miss Hutchison, Trentham, abrasions to left leg. Miss M. Griffiths, Trentham, cuts and abrasions. Miss I. Newbrooke, Trentham, injured arm. All the above injured are patients in t.he Wellington Hospital. Mrs Barclay, Heretaunga, broken ankle. Mr R. Harrison,' Haywards, fractured ankle. Miss M. Hines, Haywards, lacerations to right temple. Mr D. A. R. Newson, Silverstream, partial amputation of right ear and other injuries. Gilbert J. Neale, journalist, Stokes Valley, compound fracture of nose, lacerated scalp and fingers, multiple abrasions and bruises, possible fracture of skull. Condition serious. All the above patients are in a United States Navy Hospital. Six other patients were treated and discharged. Ail the injured have been removed to hospital. A girl who was pinned under the wreckage was removed only after a leg had been amputated. A man was extricated in a similar way.