Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area
1943, December 30 - Canadian National - Alexandria
STEAM KILLS RAIL ENGINEER AT ALEXANDRIA (Ottawa) Two railroaders, A. Valliere, 30, of Limoges, Que., and M.S. Cybulski, 30, of Barry's Bay, Ont., were in hospital here today in "quite serious condition" following the burst of a steam pipe in a Canadian National Railways freight engine near Alexandria, Ont. which fatally injured T.C. Reasbeck, 54, of Ottawa, the engineer. Cybulski, fireman, and Valliere, brakeman, suffered scalds to the hands, face and ankles when the pipe exploded and Cybulski also suffered a deep scalp wound. Live steam shot into the cab of the locomotive as the train was pulling 55 cars up a grade near Alexandria, about 55 miles east of Ottawa. Reasbeck was thrown through the cab window by the explosion. Jumped From Cab Cybulski is believed to have jumped from the engine cab. The train, which continued to roll forward after the explosion, finally was stopped about three quarters of a mile east of the point where Reasbeck was found. Conductor Ross Conley of Ottawa and other crewmen put out flares to stop the fast C.N.R. Transcontinental No. 1 train from Montreal which was following the freight. The Transcontinental was halted at Alexandria however and later pushed the freight into Greenfield, Ont. and took the injured men aboard. Two Alexandria doctors, E.J. Dolan and D. Primeau, boarded the Transcontinental train here and went to the scene where they were assisted in treating the injured by Miss Edna Hill of Apple Hill, Ont., a trained nurse. From the Ottawa Journal 31 December 1943 Engineer T.C. Reasbeck, 54, of 128, Hawthorne avenue, was killed late last night when a steam pipe burst on the locomotive of an eastbound freight train en route from Ottawa to Montreal at a point between Greenfield and Alexandria, about 50 miles east of Ottawa. Injured seriously in the mishap were Fireman M.S. Cybulski, 30, of Barrys Bay and Brakeman A. Valliere, 30, of Limoges, who were taken to the Ottawa Civic Hospital on arrival of the Trans-Continental train from Halifax to Vancouver. The explosion did not cause derailment of the freight train, but delayed the Trans-Continental about two hours and 20 minutes on reaching the Capital. Injuries to Fireman Cybulski and Brakeman Valliere consisted of burns and severe scalds, and early this morning the hospital reported their condition quite serious. Cause of the explosion is under investigation, according to a statement issued by Superintendent Paul Fox of the Ottawa C.N.R division. It was learned that Engineer Reasbeck died of a fractured skull suffered when he was hurled out of the engine cab following the explosion. Fireman Cybulski jumped and Brakeman Valliere remained in the cab and was the least injured. The brakeman suffered scalds to the hands, face and ankles while the fireman was also badly scalded on the face, hands and ankles and, in addition, suffered a deep scalp wound. The freight train had travelled its entire length past the point where Engineer Reasbeck was found lying beside the track. It took a searching paty some time to find the unconscious man. Dr. D.J. Dolan of Alexandria, where the injured were taken first, treated them until they were put aboard the Trans-Continental for Ottawa. The injured were met by the ambulance of George H. Rogers Ltd.., which took them to the Civic Hospital. Superintendent Fox stated there had been no boiler explosion. If there had been the roadbed of the track would have been torn up. On arrival of the injured men in Ottawa, Dr. R. Lorne gardmer, C.N.R. physician took charge. An inquest will be held, but Dr. Dolan said he would have to communicate with the Crown Attorney Harkness in Cornwall to learn who would officiate at it. The Trans-Continental train which was delayed two hours and 20 minutes should have arrived at 10.45 p.m . |
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