Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1955, May 31 - A Scooter and a lorry derail at Shawville, CPR Waltham subdivision, two dead and nine injured.

From the Ottawa Journal 31 May 1955 2 Dead, 9 Hurt At Shawville Motor Scooter Jumped Tracks Pulling a Lorry Carrying Many Gang Laborers at Time of Crash Two men were killed and nine were injured today when a motor scooter jumped the tracks about one mile east of Shawville, Que. The accident occurred while the scooter was pulling a lorry carrying 15 gang laborers, according to Canadian Pacific Railway officials. Killed were .Dervis Borris  53,  of Vankleek Hill. Ont., and John Armstrong, 55, of Venosta, Que. All of the injured were brought to the Pontiac Community Hospital at Shawvillle. Shawville is on the Ottawa river about 45 miles northwest of the Capital. Injured In the accident were Henry Spencer, 49, of Venosta. Que.; F. Baron. 19, of Vankleek Hill. Ont.; Albert O'Connor, 23. Venosta; Thomas Williams, 60, Aylmer, Que.; Clarence Messiac, 44, Vankleek Hill; Aurele Gauthler, 19. Blue Sea, Que.; Denis Ladouceur, 17, Vankleek Hill; Alfred Baron, 16,. Vankleek Hill, and Maurice Sauve, 23, Vankleek Hill. The accident occurred on a slight curve and downgrade at 8.15 a.m. daylight saving time It was noticed by the crew of the Pontlac-Ottawa CPR local when the train reached the scene about 20 minutes after the accident occurred. The derailment occurred when the scooter and lorry became detached. One of the men. seated on the lorry but with his feet resting on the rear scooter tumbled on to the track. The lorry struck him and was derailed, spilling the men in all directions, their equipment landing on top of them. The Pontiac train picked them up, backed into the station and sent word to the hospital to ready itself for the emergency. Miss Melva Moore, the superintendent, called in all off-duty and special nurses in the town and the town's doctors. The dead and injured were removed in ambulances and in some cases, it was reported, in private cars. It was the worst accident to strike the district in some years and townspeople in Shawville were high in their praise for the manner in which the hospital staff answered to the emergency. All the men - there were reports as many as 30 were aboard the scooter and lorry - were staying in 8hawvllle while working on repairs to tracks in the Pontiac district.

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Updated 26 March 2018