The 1995 annual party of the
directors of Broken Hill Propriety (BHP) Pty Ltd was held at the original site
where the company started its business at Broken Hill, (population 18517(2011) far west of New South Wales. What the town of Broken Hill is famous for is its
richness of deposits of iron ore and being the home of the world biggest
producer of iron ore, Broken Propriety Company Limited (BHP Ltd) which was
incorporated in 1885.
Some members of the Board wanted to celebrate their annual gathering by having some exclusive line of homemade cheeses, pate’, pickles, and other small goods delivered. Such an order was made through a catering company in Sydney with specific instructions that the ordered goods had to be delivered by 10 am on the day of the meeting. Three ladies (Jenny, Cathy, & Samantha) from the Headquarter of the catering company were entrusted with the specific task of personally delivering the ordered goodies and help in the setting up and presentation in the annex to the Boardroom where the meeting was to be held. The goodies prepared, the ladies planned to leave early afternoon the day before the meeting. The plan was to stop at Dubbo, a major central West town for an hour or two then continue the journey to Broken Hill arriving around 10 am some 2 hours before the end of the meeting.
At 3pm the day before the
meeting the goodies with handpicked selection of fruits were neatly packed into
near new Toyota Camry station wagon.
Samantha drove to the town of Orange where the ladies stopped for little
rest after which Samantha continued driving till Dubbo a major town and centre
some 500 kilometer from Sydney where they arrived just after 8 pm. After some two hours rest at Dubbo and the
Camry filled with petrol Cathy took over the driving with Jenny in the front
seat and Samantha in the back seat. The
plan was for Samantha to get some rest and take over the driving after the town
of Cobar some 230 kilometers. The plan came to a catastrophic end when two
kangaroos crossed over the road in front of the Camry. Swerving at a speed of 110 kilometers per
hour to avoid the kangaroos Jenny lost control and collided into eucalyptus
tree that saw the Camry explode in flame.
Injured but still conscious hysterical Cathy managed to squeeze her way
out through the window. Likewise,
screaming and equally hysterical Samantha, her face and hair singed by the
flame managed to get out and run from the blazing Camry. ‘Oh my God, oh my God, Jenny', Jenny
screamed Samantha and Cathy looking at the blazing Camry. All they could do was to shout and hug in the
hope someone will drive by in either direction and extinguish the inferno.
Some 30 minutes after the
collision with Camry still in flame a farmer, Adrian, with his small pickup
truck stopped to render help. Pointing
in the direction of the blazing Camry both Cathy and Samantha tearfully said: ‘Jenny, Jenny, our friend in the front seat’
Adrian poured bottle of water over his head and got as close as he could to the
Camry but the smoke and the intensity of the heat made it impossible for him to
come closer than five feet. Adrian
could see that the glass of the front passenger window had almost melted and
something was burning inside the Camry.
‘I will drive few kilometers up the road where there is reception and
call 000 to get some help both of you ladies are injured you need to be checked
in a hospital’ said distressed Adrian.
Cathy and Samantha nodded their heads and hugged screaming ‘oh my God,
oh my God dear Jenny’
Exactly one hour and ten minutes after the kangaroos crossed in front of the Camry ambulance and fire brigade from Dubbo arrived. The Camry was still smouldering and small flames burning underneath the front passenger seat. After getting close to the Camry with the fire hose in their hands the two firemen could smell the burning flesh and saw the charcoal black human skull and what appeared to be body covered in molten plastic and metal. Both firemen stepped back waving to both Cathy and Samantha who were following them to get back. ‘Oh my God how intense the flame must have been for this to happen’. Trying to collect his thoughts the other fireman looked at the two ambulance officers shook his head and said: ‘I have never seen anything like it, charcoal black total incineration’. ‘We’ll take the two ladies for observation to Dubbo Hospital and get the ‘Boys in Blue’ to come with their experts this is a coronal matter’ said the ambulance officer.
At 7 am Jenny’s husband, Terry received call from Dubbo police station asking him to fly over to Dubbo for purpose of identifying deceased lady believed to be his wife.
At 12 noon after seeing Cathy and
Samantha at Dubbo Hospital, at the exact time the BHP Board was due to have
finished its annual meeting Terry left Matthew with Cathy and Samantha, both
sedated and weeping, and escorted with the police to the accident scene. Faint smoke was still coming from the bottom
front left hand side and the engine of the now unrecognizable wrecked
Camry. Masked investigating police
officers were taking photos and writing reports as Terry was given a mask and
walked toward the front left side of the Camry.
The left front passenger door and glass had melted. Jenny was totally charred beyond recognition
but as the two ambulance officers were making effort to remove her remains
Terry recognized the diamond that was on the ring that he gave her on their
tenth wedding anniversary. The gold had
melted but the diamond stone was still intact and sparkled. ‘Oh my God it is Jenny" screamed Terry.
Post Mortem Report
Within a year from the
date of Jenny’s incineration Terry wanted some answers and sought legal
advice. Foremost in his mind was answer
to the question how could his wife Jenny became literally unrecognizable and
the left front door and glass of the Camry simply melt. What sort of temperature would make glass and
metal melt and mix as mould? The
forensic report that was prepared for the Coroner made the observation and
point that the only tissues from Jenny’s charred body that were recognizable as human tissues were samples taken deep from
the liver and brain everything else including major bones were simply soot. The report made the point that Jenny’s
husband recognized the diamond that was embedded in molten 18 carat gold ring
as being additional factor to her recognition and identification. The report also pointed the fact that a
temperature in excess of 800 degrees Celsius was required to melt steel metal
and gold.
Police Report
Police engineers simply
recognized that speed was not significant factor and that both Samantha
and Cathy tested negatively for alcohol
or illicit substances. Examination of the
Camry by forensic engineers noted that other than basic faulty design factors
involved in the manufacture of the Camry it was difficult to explain how the
force of the impact would have caused the fuel tank to dislocate and end up
under the front passenger seat. The
report also pointed to the fact that Jenny must have been sleeping and would
not have had any opportunity to open the door and escape the inferno. The possibility of Jenny being knocked out by
the impact could not be ruled out.
Correspondence by Terry’s legal representative to Toyota Corporation Headquarter in both Australia and Japan seeking relevant design information and planning consideration that resulted in the manufacturing of the Camry fell on deaf ears. Toyota Australia purportedly relied on Japan to provide the information and answer correspondence. Responses were slow but it was apparent from the newer Camry models that came in subsequent years that engineering modifications were made to the design and stability of the fuel tank based on impact studies at various speeds conducted by Toyota engineers.
Who could imagine a decision
taken by the Board of BHP to pamper themselves with delicacies especially made
and delivered from Sydney to be enjoyed at the Annual General Meeting at Broken
Hill would result in Toyota Corporation reviewing the design of Toyota Camry
vehicle?
Needless to say no mention was
ever made of the one dead and other broken legged kangaroos that were lying at
the side of the road for nearly 24 hours whilst all that activity was taking
place few meters away.
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