1960 — Dec 7, Truck (4 killed) carrying bottled gas hit by train (2), near Nashua, NH– 6

–6 AP. “Six Die in Truck-Train Crash.” Lubbock Avalanche Journal, TX. 12-8-1960, 1.
–6 Nashua Telegraph, NH. “Skull Fractures Brought Death to 5 of 6 in Crash.” 12-8-1960, 24.

Narrative Information

Dec 8: “Five of six persons killed in a truck-train collision on a Hills Ferry Rd. railroad crossing yesterday morning, died of skull fractures, according to Dr. John D. Spring, medical referee.

“Robert Wrenn, 29, his wife, the former Agnes Patricia Sullivan, 28, their children, Christopher, 19 months this Saturday and Jennifer, one month, of 12 Woodland drive here; Atty John S. Wilder, 27, of Manchester.

“The Wrenn family was riding in a bottled gas truck and Wilder was a passenger in a B and M Budd liner.

“Sixth victim was Vaughan Talbert, 48, of Wilmington, Mass, train conductor. Dr. Spring said he died of shock resulting from second and third degree burns about the body and arms and compound fractures of both legs.

“Attorney Wilder was found lying beside railroad tracks following the train-truck collision. Indications are he may have leaped from the Budd car when it was engulfed with flames but there is a possibility he may have been thrown from the moving train.

“An explosion resulted when the train and bottled gas truck collided and it rocked the entire area. Four Nashua bodies were thrown from the truck and a tank of propane gas clung to the front of the Budd train as it continued for a third of a mile before it stopped.

“The gas cylinder, about five-feet long, bounced inside the Budd liner and created a flash fire, causing passengers and railroad men to flee the burning car.” (Nashua Telegraph, NH. “Skull Fractures Brought Death to 5 of 6 in Crash.” 12-8-1960, p. 24.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Six Die in Truck-Train Crash.” Lubbock Avalanche Journal, TX. 12-8-1960, 1. Accessed 11-13-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/avalanche-journal-dec-08-1960-p-10/

Nashua Telegraph, NH. “Skull Fractures Brought Death to 5 of 6 in Crash.” 12-8-1960, p. 24. Accessed 11-14-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/nashua-telegraph-dec-08-1960-p-24/