ACCIDENT TO SUPERINTENDENT WOOLLEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 253, 23 October 1905, Page 5

ACCIDENT TO SUPERINTENDENT WOOLLEY.

THROWN FROM A FIRE KTTETT. AND DRAGGED. Superintendent Woolley, of tie City Fire Brigade, met with an unfortunate and somewhat serious accident yesterday afternoon while proceeding on the reel to the scene of an alarm received I from Queen-street. It appears that I some little difficulty was met with in ! getting the horses to start, but that j they suddenly dashed off at a gallop. ; The men immediately all scrambled to I their plaee3, and in doing so the superintendent in some way lost his balance and fell over the side. As he fell a part of hia clothing became caught by a bolt on the brake, and he waa dragged for a distance of about thirty yards on his back and head before the cloth tore away. Fortunately for Mr Woolley he fell upon his shoulders, for had he first struck the ground with his head there is very little doubt that he would have been killed outright. Tn intendent was taken into the surgery of Dr. Walker, at the top of Qrey-street. where an examination disclosed that Mr Woolley had suffered a severely sprained ankle, 3 number of ugly scalp wounds, and nasty injuries to one hand, besides being considerably bruised about the body. Upon inquiry to-day it was ascertained that the superintendent had passed a good night, but that although the extent of his injuries o<*asion no Tery grave alarm as. to his ultimate recovery, the shock to his system has been a_ very severe one, and it will be some time befoTe he will be able to re-, sume his duties. The alarm in question proved to be a false one, some smoke seen issuing from the chimney of Mr Slaney, jeweller, who was burning rubbish at the time, having been responsible for the breaking of the alarm box.