This week, October 15th – 18th marks the anniversary of Hurricane Hazel as she swept through southwestern Ontario in 1954 leaving death and destruction in her wake.
There were officially 81 deaths and Bruce County was not to escape Hazel’s wrath.
“Hurricane Hazel began her path of destruction on October 5, 1954 in the Caribbean Ocean and continued up the eastern coast of North America, before reaching inland on October 16 and being downgraded from hurricane status. The heavy rains and strong winds persisted causing major flooding and damage in the province of Ontario.
On the train were Stewart Nicholson and Gordon McCallum of Palmerston. Nicholson (48), a Canadian National Railway (CNR) fireman died from burns and other injuries as the locomotive turned over. McCallum (33) was injured in the crash and later died from his injuries.
Fireman Stewart Nicholson felt unexplainably uneasy. He hesitated in leaving his expectant wife at home but, duty called.
As train #179 approached the terminus at Southampton at 11:30 p.m., tragedy struck. When crossing a culvert flooded by the heavy rains of Hurricane Hazel, the track gave way causing the train to derail. The remaining cars drove into the back of the derailed engine causing it to fill up with sand and dirt and causing the pipes to burst filling the cab with live steam.
Engineer Gordon MacCallum was buried up to his neck in sand while fireman Nicholson was pinned by the twisted metal of the wreck. The remaining crew, who were unhurt rushed to the aid of the two trapped men and with great effort freed MacCallum. Nicholson was cut free from the wreckage and both men were taken to Southampton Hospital, where Dr. Murray Flock attended at the scene and both men succumbed to their injuries.
At the culvert north of McNabb Street, where the train derailed on that night in 1954, a rest site has been built with an interpretive sign detailing the accident. The site is built of hemlock acquired from Manitoulin Island and to the side of the structure is the burm of land ploughed up when the engine left the tracks.
