Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1951, July 8 - Argued Whether Crossing Was Safe, Mrs Rheal Gunner Killed By Train, CPR Hull, Florent Street

From the Ottawa Citizen 9 July 1951 Argued Whether Crossing Was Safe, Mrs Rheal Gunner Killed By Train As horrified neighbor watched two Hull women argue last night near an approaching train, one of the women fell into the train's path and was instantly killed. Mrs. Rheal Gunner, 37, of 55 St. Florent Street. Hull, was dead on arrival at Sacred Heart Hospltal a few minutes after she had been hit by a CPR Ottawa-Vancouver train at the St. Henri Street crossing in Hull. Witnesses told police that Mrs Gunner had been heatedly debating in favor of crossing the tracks, while her companion, Mrs. Jeanne Albert. 46, of 48 St. Henri Street, had been asking her not to cross until the train had passed. Tragic Conclusion Before the point could be settled in debate, the train's arrival brought it to a tragic conclusion. The crew of the train was unaware of the accident, and the train did not stop. The spectators of the fatality told police that they had seen Mrs. Albert attempt with her hands to dissuade Mrs. Gunner from taking the trip across the tracks before the train. The accident happened at 11.17 p.m. Until after midnight, crowds of people jammed St. Henri Street and adjoining roads as they inspected the location. Inspector J. Maxlme Lavigne was in charge of the investigation. First on the scene to investigate were Constables Emile Carpentier, Clement Carvllle, W. Parker, Jack Emond and Francois Cabana. Capt. Lucien Gagnon aided Inspector Lavlgne in the case. Engineer of the train, the CPR said, was Harry Alexander of 104 Bayswater Avenue, Ottawa. W. H. Quinn of North Bay was conductor and E. Glenn of 573 Albert Street, Ottawa, was fireman. , Mrs. Gunner Is survived by her husband and a son, Henry, of Hull.

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Updated 26 September 2019