Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1953 January 18 - Crossing Accident at Cornwall, CNR, one injury

From the Ottawa Citizen Monday 19 January 1953 Woman Hurt At Crossing By The Canadian Press CORNWALL The second train-car crash in 12 days at the Cumberland Street level crossing oft the north-west out skirts of the city has put Mrs, Arthur Poitras, 35, of Cornwall, in hospital with serious head injuries. Mrs. Poitras was a passenger in a car driven by her husband 33, which ran into the side of a slow moving westbound CNR passenger train last night. Crossing Unprotected The crossing is on an ungrade (sic) and is unprotected by either lights or gates. Last Jan. 6 Garnet Lafave, 17-year-old Cornwall truck driver was injured when his panel truck was struck by a CNR freight. Police said the train had just pulled out of the station, half a mile east of the crossing, when the car plowed into the baggage car, two cars behind the engine. Fireman Gerald Charlette of Cornwall told police the train whistle was blowing when he saw the car approaching the tracks. The road was reported to be wet and slippery. Engineer George Day of Montreal reported to investigating officers Cecil Watson and Bernard Arthur, of city police, that he was on the opposite side of the cab and saw nothing. The car was wrecked and the injured woman was taken from the twisted vehicle by nearby residents. Her husband escaped without injury. She was brought to Hotel DIeu Hospital where she is reported to be in considerable pain. Further X-ray examinations were scheduled for today to determine the full extent of her injuries.

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Updated 15 October 2019