Meldrim Georgia
The community faced tragedy in 1959 when a Seaboard Airline railroad disaster derailed and killed 23 residents.
“The blast occurred about 3:30 Sunday afternoon. Two railroad tanker cars spewed flaming death on some 175 fun-seekers in a recreation area beneath a 30-foot river trestle which the Seaboard Air Line train was crossing. No one could say whether all bodies had been recovered, but Coroner Harold M. Smith said reports that dozens were accounted for were greatly overdrawn. Smith said at the time he had accounted for 15 dead. Since then two children died of burns in a Savannah hospital. A complete casualty list was not available but 14 dead have been identified. Some bodies were so badly burned that identification was difficult.“
To read more: ebrary.net/meldrim_june_1959_railroad_trestle_disaster
