Thirty-sixpeopleare injuredintraincrash

October 1979

Thirty-six people were injured when the 17.40 passenger train from Rosslare Harbour and Wexford to Dublin crashed into the rear of a cement special train which was shunting at Arklow Station on Wednesday night at about 7 o’clock.

The injured were quickly removed by a fleet of ambulances to St. Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, and to Baggot Street Hospital in Dublin.

According to a doctor at the scene, about twelve of the people had broken arms and legs, but the others were not seriously injured, suffering mainly from cuts, bruises, and shock.

The driver of the train had a miraculous escape from death. He was lucky to escape with fairly minor injuries.

Miss Helen Furlong, aged 19, of Ballygalvert, Ballywilliam, Enniscorthy, who was a passenger on the train, and who escaped injury, said: ‘ The train was going very slowly as it approached Arklow Station. Then there was a fierce bang, and bags and seats came flying’.

One man in her carriage suffered from rib injuries, she said.

The lights went out on the train, and people were screaming. However, most people in her carriage suffered only superficial cuts, and shock.

There were about 150 passengers on the train at the time. Many local people, on hearing the sound of the crash, rushed to the scene to lend assistance.

The accident occurred about a hundred yards outside Arklow Station, and rescue operations were hampered by the darkness and the driving rain.

Ambulances from Arklow, Gorey, Rathdrum and Wicklow rushed the injured to hospital, while local nurses and doctors provided first aid treatment. Fire brigades from Arklow, Rathdrum and Gorey helped to rescue passengers from the train.

Some of the passengers were trapped for a short time, but were quickly freed.

People first on the scene had to contend with a cloud of cement dust from the last wagon, which one eye-witness described as being ‘ like a thick fog’.