Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1946, June 29 - Crossing collision near Curran, CPR., Montreal and Ottawa sub., one fatality, two injured.

From the Ottawa Journal Tuesday 2 July 1946 One Man Dies,  Two Hurt When Train Hits Truck One man was killed and two others injured when a fast Canadian, Pacific Railway Company freight train struck a truck at Booth's crossing, on the CPR Ottawa-Montreal line, about one-and-one-half miles west of Curran, near Plantaganet shortly after 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon. Real Charbonneau, age 29, of Green Valley, driver of the truck, was instantly killed, and fireman of the train, George Kealey, 235 Fairmont avenue, suffered a fractured right forearm and burns to the face, and the engineer, David Milks, 333 Albert street. suffered burns to the face and throat. Mr. Charbonneau, who is employed as a truck driver by Joseph Vaillancourt, flour and feed merchant of Green Valley, was driving to Pendleton with a load of feed. He apparently did not see or hear the train as he approached the crossing. The train, an extra freight, proceeding from Montreal to Ottawa, crashed into the side of the truck. A gasoline tank on the side of the truck exploded and set the truck on fire. The truck was thrown clear of the track and landed upside down in a ditch about 20 feet from the crossing. Pinned Beneath Truck Mr. Charbonneau was pinned beneath the burning truck, and after the fire had been extinguished only the charred remains of his body were found in the ruins. The fireman, suffered severe burns to his face as a result of the explosion, and when he jumped from the cab of the locomotive fractured his right arm. David Milks, engineer, was badly burned all around the face except his eyes which were protected by goggles. The interior of his throat waa also burned. Both trainmen were rushed to hospital in Ottawa in a T. Lamarre and Son of Alfred, ambulance. Mr. Milks is a patient at Ottawa Civic Hospital, while Mr. Kealey is being cared for in the Veteran's Pavillion at the Civic Hospital. Coroner Dr. H. H. Kirby. of Hawkesbury, was called to the scene and said that an inquest will be held on July 9, at Curran. The train was in charge of conductor Charles Nicholson, ot 78 Cambridge street.  Constable George Nault of the Ontario Provincial Police Investigated. From the Ottawa Citizen Tuesday 2 July 1946 Real Charbonneau of Green Valley was killed and two others injured when a Canadian Pacific freight train struck the truck he was driving near Plantagenet. From the Eastern Ontario Review Thursday 4 July 1946 One killed, two injured as train hits truck July 4 1946 - CURRAN - One man was killed and two others injured when a fast Canadian Pacific Railway freight train struck a truck at Booth's crossing on the Ottawa-Montreal line, about two miles west of Curran, shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday (June 29). Real Charlebois, 29, truck's driver, was killed instantly, while train's engineer and fireman both suffered burns to the face in the accident.

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Updated 7 July 2021