FATAL LIFT ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 237, 4 October 1894, Page 12

FATAL LIFT ACCIDENT.

A TELEGRAPH MESSENGER

KILLED.

Owing to the press of business in the Melbourne telegraph department orr the night of the general elections one of the auxiliary lifts, which communicates with the telegraph operating room on thetop floor, at the northern end of tbe building, was kept working, for tho convenience of the caterer for refreshments for officials who were on duty. A telegraph messenger named Frederick G. Hackett, 19 yeara of age, and who lived with his mother, a widow residing at East Brunswick, was placed in charge of tbe lift. About 6.30 p.m. Hackett gob out of the lift at the third floor, and locked the door behind him. After an absence of about half an hour Hackett returned and opening the door1 found that tbe cage had descended some distance down the shaft, so he leaned forward and reached towards the rope, but in doing so fell down on to the lift. Steps were immediately taken to assist him from his position, and he was then taken to the Melbourne Hospital, where it was ascertained thafa he was sufforing from a rupture. He was in a state of collapse, and died without recovering consciousness. The foregoing facts wore narrated to Dr. Yoiil at an inquest which he held on the body ot the deceased on Saturday last. It was also stated that there was a " creep " in the lift, which when left to itself descended at the rate of 18 inches in five minutes. Mr William Croft, manager of the Central Telegraph Office, said that he directed the deceased, about 5 o'clock on the evening of the accident, and two hours before it occurred, to send the cage down to the bottom of the shaft, lock the lift door, and take the key to the sub-manager. Deceased had done so, but had subsequently, got the key back and worked the lift again. The whole staff was disorganised through the pressure of work which the elections occasioned. The deceased, who was well able to manage the lift, knew of the " creep " in ifc, and had spoken to several people about ib.. Evidence was given thab the lift was in fair working order, the only fault in it being the creep ; and then^ at the request of tho jury, the inquiry was adjourned in order that the Bub-manager of the telegraph office and those officials who had last inspected the lift before the accident might) attend and'give evidence,