- Title: AUSTRALIA: CONFIRMED DEATH TOLL OF TEN IN VICTORIAN RAIL CRASH.
- Date: 9th February 1969
- Summary: WRECKAGE OF CRASHED TRAINS; RESCUERS WORKING; AMBULANCES FERRYING WOUNDED; FIRE ENGINES AT WORK. Initials DHC/VS/AS/SC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 24th February 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VIOLET TOWN, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
- Country: Australia
- Reuters ID: LVADH2CGEJDLA3P9BQR691TVJB6P
- Story Text: VICTORIAN RAILWAY OFFICIALS HAVE BLAMED "A HUMAN ERROR" FOR THE TRAIN SMASH THIS WEEK BETWEEN AN EXPRESS AND A GOODS TRAIN AT VIOLET TOWN, IN THE AUSTRALIAN STATE OF VICTORIA. THEY ALSO CONFIRMED THE DEATH TOLL IN THE CRASH AT TEN.
THE CRASH, WHICH OCCURRED 105 MILES (168 KMS.) NORTHEAST OF MELBOURNE, INVOLVED THE LUXURY "SOUTHERN AURORA" EXPRESS AND A GOODS TRAIN. THE SOUTHERN AURORA WAS TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 80 MILES PER HOUR (128 K.P.H.) FROM MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY WHEN IT COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH THE GOODS TRAIN.
A RAILWAYS OFFICIAL SAID AN INQUIRY HAD SHOWN THAT A HUMAN ERROR WAS TO BLAME FOR THE CRASH. HE SAID SIGNALLING EQUIPMENT HAD BEEN FOUND TO BE IN ORDER, ALTHOUGH THE SOUTHERN AURORA HAD DAMAGED SOME OF THE POINTS.
WRECKAGE FROM THE CRASH SPREAD OVER A WIDE AREA. ONE REPORT SAID SOME 2,000 VOLUNTARY RESCUE WORKERS SEARCHED THROUGH THE DEVASTATION FOR SURVIVORS AND THE BODIES OF THE DEAD. MEN FROM LOCAL BUSHFIRE BRIGADES WERE AT THE SCENE - THE SOUTHERN AURORA HAD EXPLODED IN A SHEET OF FLAME, AND HAD SPEWED BURNING DIESEL FUEL OVER THE WRECKAGE.
MOTORISTS FROM A NEARBY HIGHWAY AND ARMY TROOPS FROM A LOCAL MILITARY BASE ALSO HELPED IN THE RESCUE OPERATION.
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