A number of factors influenced the outcome of the crash and the disproportionately large number of deaths. The nearest town was Nairn, Ontario, which is around to the east. This denied survivors of the crash an immediate source of aid. Additionally, the fires on the relatively densely-packed second-class coach doomed most passengers in both halves, as the half which did not fall into the ice was suspended above the river while its burning passengers jumped or fell onto the ice. Nevertheless, the first-class coach, which was spared much of the immediate impact of the crash and fell into the ice relatively intact, had the highest rate of deaths, as even if passengers were able to escape through windows or doors, it was likely they would have died in the freezing water, unable to break through the ice on the surface. As a result, only one passenger from the first-class coach was reported to have survived. In comparison, the sleeping car, which had a large number of injuries, had no deaths during or after the crash, but created a large group of casualties which needed rescue. Rescue efforts After the initial impact, uninjured or lightly-injured members of the crew, along with passengers, began to engage in rescue efforts. This was complicated by the fact that survivors were divided by the icy river and a bridge that was clogged with burning wreckage. William Dundas, the mail clerk aboard the train, survived the crash from his relatively safe position near the front of the train and began to help survivors. Meanwhile, the brakeman in the second-class coach, who had been miraculously thrown onto the ice, joined in the rescue efforts and ultimately was one of the people who undertook the long trek to Nairn through snow. The conductor of the train, Thomas Reynolds of North Bay, was one of the people to escape from the submerged dining car by swimming through the freezing river. He helped several passengers through the roof hatch, saving their lives. One of these passengers was the local industrialist and lumber baron William J. Bell, who was seriously injured but survived the crash. These rescuers were later joined by two workers from the Dickson Bridge Company, who had been constructing a bridge further up the river. Ultimately, it was five hours before real assistance arrived to the crash site, and by then many injured people had died. The surviving