KETTLE VALLEY COACH BURNS; FOUR DEAD

GAS TANK UNDER DAY COACH
EXPLODES WEST OF FARRON
SPREADING DEATH AND INJURY

INJURED ARE PLACED IN SLEEPER AND STARTED FOR CASTLEGAR;
SPECIAL LEAVES NELSON WITH DOCTORS AND NURSES IN
CHARGE OF SUPERINTENDENT MILLER; NO NAMES

Four are dead, possibly five, and unknown number are injured, as the result of the explosion of the gas tank beneath the day coach on last night's out-going Kettle Valley train, which occurred shortly after 1 o'clock this morning, two miles west of Fannon killing two or three persons, and injuring all the other passengers in the coach. The coach burned.

The injured were transferred to the sleeper, and were started back for Castlegar under the charge of a brakeman, two dying on the way to that junction point.

No damage was done to the remainder of the train, consisting of en-gine and tender, cafe car, mail car, and baggage car, and passengers were transferred to those cars and the abbreviated train proceeded on its way to Grand Forks.

A special was made up here, with extra passenger coaches, Superintendent W. O. Miller being in personal charge, with Drs. J. H. Bennett and F. S. Eaton, and three nurses from Kootenay Lake General Hospital, to pick up the sleeper with the injured at Castlegar.

The relief train left Nelson about 3:50 o'clock.

Superintendent Miller stated he had never heard of such an accident in the C.P.R.'s history. The tank that exploded was a large cylinder to be seen under day coaches, which contains illuminating gas for the lamps in the coach. The gas is obtained in Vancouver, in sealed containers. The tank underneath the car, attached to it by rods, and not within the structure, and it is hard to conceive how the explosion could have had the effect it did.

The staff of the Kootenay Lake General Hospital is on duty to minister to the injured the moment they are received.