1970
12 January 1970
Spectacular street crash
Truck smashes into house after brothers in collision
Two brothers figured in an unusual accident on Saturday afternoon, in which a truck smashed through a fence and ploughed into the front room of a Mudgee house.
Victims of the accident were brothers Keith Holland, of 30 Inglis Street, truck driver, and Vincent Holland of 65 Perry Street, a station hand on “Havilah” property.
Both men were admitted to Mudgee Hospital following the accident, and Keith Holland was later released.
But his brother suffered a broken nose and deep facial lacerations and was retained.
It is believed he had several stitches for cuts beneath his eyes.
Mudgee Hospital officials this morning would not release details of his condition, but it is believed he is recovering.
Vincent Holland was travelling south along Perry Street at the time of the accident, heading for his home, half a block from their Horatio Street intersection.
His brother, Keith was travelling east along Horatio Street.
Vincent’s car was struck on the right-hand front side.
The truck went out of control and careered towards a small weatherboard home on the corner of Horatio and Perry Streets.
Miraculously, shortly before the impact of the two vehicles, the owner of the two vehicles, the owner of the home, Arthur Thomas Cox, saw the vehicles approaching the intersection, and thought there might be a collision.
He then walked to a room behind the house, where he lives and was startled by what sounded like a huge explosion.
He then came round to the front of his house to find the truck protruding into the front room of his home.
The house itself was not being occupied by anyone, as Mr. Cox lives in a small adjoining building at the rear.
The frail wooden front wall of the small house was splintered upon impact, and other windows in the house were shattered.
Neighbours described the percussion as “like an explosion.”
The front fence was torn down, and shrubs were ripped out when the truck careered out of control over the footpath and into the house.
When the truck came to rest, the driver, Keith Holland jumped out and raced back to see how the driver of the sedan was.
He found a nearby resident, Mr. Graham Clark, nursing the bleeding driver, and realised only then it was his brother.
He was visibly shocked by the discovery.
Two trucks were used to pull the embedded truck from the house.
The trucks were positioned at an angle to each other, to avoid collapsing the front wall of the house.
As a result of the crash, the electrical switchboard on the house was torn from the wall, exposing live wires which posed a threat to rescuers and onlookers.
Ulan County Council technicians were called in and disconnected the supply from the service pole.
Other homes in the area were not affected.
Sergeant S. Moy and Const. W. Dent were in charge of operations1 .
14 January 1970
Photo
Top: The double-storey house at the corner of Perry Street and Byron Place is no more, following the efforts of the wreckers last week. Here, the big crane lifted a huge section intact from the top floor of the building. The house was demolished to make way for a new Motor Registry Office2 .