Parkersburg, WV Train Wreck, Jan 1902

FATAL CRASH ON B. & O.

Two Dead and Two Injured in Head-End Collision.

Parkersburg, W. Va., Jan. 20.--Two freight trains met in a head-end collision on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, six miles north of here, yesterday, killing the engineer and fireman of one train and injuring the brakemen on each train. Ten cars were piled up, and both engines were almost demolished. The dead are: Engineer WILLIAM SORREL, of Parkersburg; Fireman OSCAR SHANK, of Vinton, O. The injured are: J. W. Woods, brakeman, of Newark, W. Va., and S. V. Shelburne, brakeman, of Radford, Va.

Sorrel had orders to pass at Vienna Siding, but he was relieving his fireman, who was new and exhausted, and passed the siding without knowing it.

The News, Frederick, MD 20 Jan 1902
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Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you, Audrey!