Pictured: Mark Smith, Philip Seary & Dane Chinnery
Tributes continue to pour in as more victims of the Croydon tram crash are named.
Nineteen-year-old Dane Chinnery was identified on Thursday as the first known victim of the derailment that left seven dead and three seriously injured on Wednesday morning.
The Crystal Palace fan, who worked at a drainage company, has been described as “kind, funny, honest and intelligent”.
On a Go Fund Me page to raise money for his funeral, his brother said: “There are absolutely no words that can describe the true hurt and pain that our whole family is in right now.”
“Dane was the most perfect brother.”
Philip Seary, 57, from New Addington, was among the other victims to be named. He was also the second known Crystal Palace fan to be killed in Wednesday’s tragedy.
Crystal Palace fans are organising a minute’s applause during the 19th and 57th minute of their next home match to commemorate the two victims.
Crystal Palace FC said: “Our prayers are with his family and with all the friends and relatives of those victims that have been affected…we stand with the community at this difficult time.”
Seary has been described online as ‘kind gentle giant of a man’. Known by some as ‘Tank’, he worked as an engineer at the Royal Opera House for 17 years.
Relatives wrote on Facebook: “We lost one of the BEST!! The most kind, giving person we’ll ever have in our lives!! Rest in Paradise our friend & brother., luv u to the Stars!!”
Pic: Nick Dowson
The Evening Standard also reported that caterer Dorotea Rynkiewicz, 35, could be among the dead. Her relatives said they “feared the worst” for the Polish mother-of-two after she had not been heard from in the 48 hours following the crash.
Her sister-in-law told the Standard that Dorota “was an amazing mother and definitely a hard-working person. She was on her way to work so early in the morning to provide for her kids”.
“It’s a tragic moment for us. They don’t have any other family in England so my brother will have to raise the children alone without their mother,” she said.
The Standard also reported that the fourth victim is Mark Smith, an employee at his father’s double-glazing firm. Smith was engaged to his Lithuanian partner, Indre Novikovaite, with whom he has a young son.
His cousin Tom Smith said that Mark could “make everyone laugh” in a tribute posted on Facebook. “Still cannot believe this is true, the last couple of days have just felt like a nightmare that I’m gonna wake up from,” said Smith.
“Not only were you my cousin but literally my best friend. The thought that we are all never gonna see you or hear from you again makes me feel sick.”
Emergency services were called to the Sandilands tram stop on Addiscombe Road to the east of Croydon town centre just after 6am on Wednesday to deal with the two derailed carriages.
Croydon MP Gavin Barwell warned that bodies could still be trapped underneath the wreckage. Emergency services began lifting the two wrecked carriages last night.
Flowers and heartfelt messages have been laid at the site to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic accident. At Croydon Cenotaph’s Armistice Day ceremony, an extra minute’s silence was added to remember the victims.
