Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1930, July 24 - Crossing Accident at Alfred, Canadian Pacific, Montreal and Ottawa subdivision, one fatality, two injured

Ottawa Citizen 25 July 1930 One man killed, 2 injured, at Alfred station. Auto bearing three young men homewards for summer vacation runs into Montreal - Ottawa Express. Injured men are rushed to Civic Hospital here. Three were former residents of Alfred. were working at Massena, N. Y. One person was killed, almost instantly, and two others are in the Ottawa Civic Hospital in a serious condition, as the result of an automobile colliding with a C. P. R. Montreal - Ottawa express train, at a level crossing at Alfred station yesterday afternoon. Wilfred Villemaire, 24 years of age, of Massena, N. Y., received such terrific injuries that he died a few minutes after the accident. The injured are: Andre D'Aoust 19 years of age, of Massena, N. Y., and Joseph Lalonde, 20 years of age, also of Massena. Those young men are in the Ottawa Civic Hospital suffering severe head and body injuries. It is thought, however, that both will recover, although their condition is regarded as serious by hospital authorities. Going home on holidays. All three young men were working and living at Massena, but were on their way to Alfred where they were going to visit relatives. The three men were residents of Alfred at one time, but for the past few years were living in the United States. The trio left Massena yesterday morning on the way to Alfred where they expected to spend the holidays visiting relatives and friends. The train with which the automobile collided was the fast westbound Montreal - Ottawa  C.P.R. express No. 505. The train makes only three stops between Montreal and Ottawa. No stop is made at Alfred and the train at the time of the accident is thought to have been traveling about 50 miles an hour. The accident occurred just a short distance from the station at 2 o clock standard time. The automobile was proceeding north on the township road which connects with the Ottawa - Montreal highway about a mile and a half from the scene of the accident. The automobile was driven by Joseph Lalonde, and it is understood that the two other young men were in the front seat with the driver. As the automobile approached the crossing the fireman, Alex Spitell, 222 Booth street, who was looking out of the engine window, said the vehicle was going at a rapid rate of speed. As the train approached the crossing the auto did not slow up and just as the front part of the engine was a few feet over the crossing the auto ran into the side of the engine. The emergency brakes on the locomotive were immediately applied when it was seen that a crash was about to occur, but owing to the fact that the engine was partway across the crossing the accident was unavoidable. The train was brought to a stop ten car lengths from the crossing and immediately the train crew rushed to the crossing. The automobile was completely demolished and the three men were lying on the side of the road, having been thrown clear of the vehicle. What aid could be given was administered to the injured men and when it was known that one of the men was so badly injured that he was dying, the other two were placed on the train. Dr. J. A. Larocque, of Alfred, could not be reached so the train pulled onto Bourget where Dr. J.B.Ayotte was taken aboard and during the trip to the city administered first aid to the two men. When the train pulled into the Union Station D'Aoust and Lalonds were conveyed on stretchers to waiting ambulances. Both were taken to the Civic Hospital (one in McEvoy Brothers ambulance and the other in George by Burney and Son's. C. P. R. Statement. An official statement given out by the C.P.R. last evening said that the train at the time of the accident was traveling about 50 miles an hour and was in charge of engineer J. H. Murphy, 122 Beech street; Fireman A. Spitell, 222 Booth street, and Conductor Duncan McDiarmid, 175 Preston street. The train was number 505, Montreal to Ottawa and makes only three stops on the trip. These are at Montreal West, Westmount and VankleekHill. The fireman was looking out of the engine cab window and saw the automobile approaching the crossing, but as the train neared the crossing the auto did not slacken its pace. The fireman shouted to the engineer, who immediately applied the emergency brakes, but the accident was unavoidable on the part of the train crew, the report states. The train was stopped in ten car lengths. The train left Montreal at 12 o'clock noon and was due in Ottawa at 3 o'clock. Owing to the accident the train was 25 minutes late. The accident occurred at exactly 1.58 o'clock according to the report. Inquest opened. Dr. H.H cubby, coroner of Hawkesbury, was called and opened an inquest at the scene of the accident yesterday afternoon. After the usual formalities it was adjourned until August 8th in the town hall, Alfred.

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Updated 21 March 2019