KILLED ON RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 131, 4 June 1923, Page 6

KILLED ON RAILWAY.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT PAKNELL. LAD KNOCKED OFF TOP OF CARRIAGE. BACK OF HIS HEAD SEVERED. A shocking accident happened on the l'arnell railway bridge on Saturday afternoon at about 4 o'clock, by which a lad named Orville Fisher, aged 15, who lived at King Ptreet, Ghey Lynn, lost hia life. He was a supporter of the City B sixth grade League team of footballers, and in company with the team and a number of other lads was returning to town from Ellerslie by train. The train was crowded, and a number of the youths were standing- on the platform of one of the dirriages. For some reason or other Fisher climbed up the stanchions, am , got right up on the roof of the carriage. When the train was opposite Carlaw Park, the great centre of the League game, the boys cheered the players on that ground, and it is presumed that Fisher also had his attention fixed on the Park. The first Fisher's companions knew that anything had happened was a cry: "Look out. Snack's fell!" Snack being Fisher's nickname. When the train reached Auckland the boys gave the alarm. In the meantime the accident had been noticed from Carlaw Park, and a crowd rushed over to the scene. Parncll Bridce, is built of heavy iron girders, which arch over at the top. There is only about ;. couple of feet clearance between the top of a carriage and these arches, and Fisher was struck by one of them. It, is said he was standing up on the carriage; but that Is questionable, as he seems to have missed the first arch, which would be impossible if he were standing. Probably he was kneeling. He seems to have been hit by the second arch, but he was carried right across the bridge to the city end, where he was knocked or fell off and struck bis head against a sharp iron stanchion or tie which severed the •hack of his skull. A doctor was sent for, and Constables Waterman and Floury of the Parnell police we,re ; quickly on the scene, but the lad was ;quite "dead. The police removed the I body to the morgue. An inquest was opened yesterday, and adjourned after evidence of identification I bad been taken.