Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1973, July 21 - Crossing collision, Casselman, CN Alexandria sub., 3 deaths, 3 injuries 

Ottawa Citizen 21 July 1973 Three killed as CN train plows into car CASSELMAN (Staff) Three persons died instantly Friday and three others injured Friday when the front of their car was torn off by a Montreal-Ottawa Canadian National passenger train. The accident, at an unprotected level crossing a mile-and-a-half southeast of here, killed Rock Gauthier, 42, and his wife Fleurette, 30, of RR1. Casselman and sent their two daughters to hospital. Five-year old Michael Tougas also died, and his brother Sylvan, 6, was slightly injured. They are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Tougas, of Montreal Road in Orleans. The Tougas boy and the Gauthier girls, eight-year-old Giselle and Joanne, 5, were taken to Ottawa General hospital shortly after the accident. Giselle is in critical condition, and Joanne is listed as satisfactory. Construction worners about 800 feel from the level crossing said Mr. Gau-tiiicr, the driver of the car. started to coss the tracks even though the train was sounding its whistle and flashing its headlight. Ottawa Citizen 23 July 1973 Girl, aged 5, fourth victim of train crash A fourth person died Sunday as a result of injuries received when the car she was riding in collided with a Canadian National Railways passenger train near Casselman Friday. Five-year-old Joanne Gauthier of RR1 Casselman died in Ottawa General Hospital. Killed instantly in the accident were the girl's parents Rock Gauthier, 42 and his wife Fleurctte, 36. Five-year-old Michael Tongas, son of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Tongas, of Montreal Road, Orleans, was also killed. Sylvan Tongas, 6, escaped with minor injuries and another passenger Giselle Gauthier, 8, is reported in satisfactory condition in General Hospital. Witnesses to the crash said the driver of the car started to cross the unprotected level crossing even though the train was sounding its whistle and flashing its headlight.

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Updated 3 May 2020