Evening star., 1947-02-05
BY the Associated Press

FRESNO, Calf, Feb. 5.-The
flaming crash of the Southern Pa
cific Railroads streamlined Daylight
Limited into loaded gasoline truck
claimed an additional fatality today,
bringing the dead to four.
Ninety passengers were injured
about Il remaining in serious con-
dition-when the orange-colored
streamliner was enveloped in flames
which completely or partially burned
out 10 of the IA cars.
This fourth victim died in Kings
burg Hospital early today. She was
Katherine Ann Hansen, II, of Pasa-
dena, a victim of burns. Earlier the
engineer and fireman and woman
passenger had died.
The Daylight left Los Angeles yes
terday morning en- route for Oak
land and San Francisco. 1t struck
the tank trailer of the gasoline truck
at pm. on the outskirts of Kings
burg, 20 miles south of Fresno.
Amos Alonzo Stagg, 84-year old
dean of Americas football coaches,
was in a rear car and was unhurt.
The train was sprayed with burn
ing gasoline and turned into blaz-
ing wreck in a matter of seconds;
its gayly decorated cars jammed with
frantic passengers smashing WIN
dows and fighting wildly to escape.
None of the cars left the tracks,
but the sudden development of
the train in blazing gasoline and
deadly fumes created a near panic
among the 500 passengers who, a
moment before had been leisurely
enjoying the streamliner's club cars
and other comforts. .s... a..
There was a tremendous explosion
as the train, racing through the
fiatlands of the San Joaquin Valley,
slashed into the tank truck at 1925
pm. For hours afterward railway
officials, the Red Cross and other
relief agencies struggled to aid the
scores of casualties and determine
the extent of the disaster.
The dead, in addition to Miss
Hansen, were identified as Mrs.
Sara E. Badgley of Dunsmuir, Calf:
George Schneckenberger of Bakers
field, the engineer, and Ernest M.
Conner, Bakersfield, fireman.
Philip Lee Mayer, 81, of Fresno,
the truck driver, in some miraculous
manner, escaped injury.
Some passengers were injured
when they smashed windows and
jumped from the cars through
flames that leaped 8 to 10 feet high.
Burning grass along the right of
way added to the fire hazard.
Says Signal Wasn't Working.
Mr.. Mayer told police that he
came to a stop before crossing the
track. He said a freight was on a
siding and the wig-wag warning
signal was not working. He told Of
fcers he was halfway across the
right-of-way before he saw the
streamliner.
The fourth and fifth cars of the
train were damaged most by the
flames and the number of injured
ran the highest there.
j. E. Mullaney, a brakeman from
Los Angeles, told newsmen that
when the train hit the tank truck
he saw "a binding flash" and lost
consciousness for a brief time.
Another crewman, j. G. Ellis, San
Francisco porter, kicked out win
dow of his car and pulled many
passengers to safety. Then he re-
entered the car and brought out
baggage. Passengers praised his
heroism.
Another who told of kicking out a
window so passengers could jump
out was j. c. Barnes of San Fran
cisco.
Aid in Rescue.
Towns people hurried to the scene
to. aid in rescue operations.
Mrs. Jessie Mathews, who lives al
Kinsburg near the scene, said:
when I saw the cars going up ir
flames, I ran to my refrigerator ano
got out can of salad oil and some
butter. Then I ran over to the rail-
road and began applying them tt
the burned passengers" She was
helped by Mrs. G. r. Camp, neigh.
Dor.
| F. T. Finnegan, watchman for the
Roma Wine Co., which has win
cry on a nearby siding, said he saw
the crash and then saw flames shoot
100 feet high from the trailer"
A number Of servicemen were or
the train. They included a group
of about a dozen who have beer
training in the South and were en