New Britain herald., 1923-02-07
CRASH AT CROSSING,
 TWO FIREMEN DEAD
Long Island Express Hits Truck
 on Nay to Blaze

New York, Feb, g,-Tge hFemen
 were killed and three injured al 2 o'clock last night when a hook and
 ladder truck vas struck by a vest
 bound electric express train on the
 Long Island Railroad at Roekagay
 Boulevard and Atlantic avenue.
 woodhaYen, Queens,
 The hremen killed were Jehn Dunn. SC. Of stli llith street. Rieh- m0nd Hill. and Michael Haniey Of
 siis ieith street, Union Hill, Dunn was killed instantly and Hanley died on the way 10 st Marys hospital. Jamaica,
 The injured are James Griffin of sbT Grant avenue. Brooklyn. who struck the third rail and was severely shocked and burned and is expected io diei Adelph i4aseh of sosa fifth street. Woodhayen. whose skull was fractured. and William J. I3ine of e6ob io2d street. Richmond Hill. who was badly cut and bruised and his right arm broken.
 Hose Truck cr0sses Safely.
 The ire apparatus was on the way to a fire al Crescent street and Blake avenue. Brooklyn. The hose truck made its way safely across the rail- road tracks at what Is known as the Union Course crossing. The moment it crossed the tracks the safety gates were let down. What happened aft- CT that is a matter Of dispute.
 Some one. for some reason, raised the gates again. Lieut.. Griffin. in charge Of Hook and Ladder Truck, gave the order to drive ahead. As the front part Of the truck came upon the tracks there was loud whistle and. turning. the firemen saw tho train upon them. Observers say it was going GO miles an hour. Fire man Haniey. chauffeur of the truck, stepped on the accclerator and tried to beat the train across the tracks, but his momentum was not great enough and the train hit the truck l In the middle.
 The truck. bent double. was carried two blocks down the tracks before the motorman. Herman Nelson, was able to bring the train to a stop.
 The five men on the truck did not | have time to jump. Witnesses said | hat Bine. who was the least injured, started to leap just as the crash | came but was too late. The others lid not rise from their seats before he train hit them.
 Wreckage Scattered Wide.
 Dunn was thrown under the train Ind his head cut off. The other four were carried along with the truck md were picked up from the snow ,eside the tracks. The wreckage of he truck was scattered for two blocks, and the safety net was found about the front trucks of he third car of the train.
 If Lieut.. Griffin lives it will be be- ause Thomas McGauley who lives nearby, pulled him from the third all at the risk of his own life and oiled him in the snow to put out he fire. that burned part of his cloth- ng off, Three ambulances came rom Bradford Street hospital in Brooklyn. Jamaica hospital and St. dary's hospital.
 Police reserves from the Richmond iill station, representatives of the 'ong Island Railroad and Dana Wal ice. district attorney of Queens, hur- jed to the crossing and began ques- oning the witnesses. MT. Wallace, fter questioning a score of witnesses the Richmond Hill station, ordered he arrest of Joseph Rubin of 17s hichester avenue, Jamaica, a spe- lal policeman, employed by the rail- pad, and Robert Brinkley, a negro 9o6 Kent avenue, Brooklyn, the ateman. They were charged with riminal negligence. Rubin, accord ,g to the police, was directing traffic the crossing for the first time.
 As the wrecked fire truck started cross in one direction, a touring car riven by Fred Unger of Lenox ave- ue and Merrick road, Springfield, l.. . started across in the opposite lrection. The end of this car was lught and hurled across the tracks. Ut unger was unhurt.
 Many accidents have happened at le Union Course crossing Last Sat -day a train struck a stalled auto obile from which two men had just aped in time to save their lives. rees and houses obscure the ap-