OVERCOME BY GAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 127, 1 June 1927, Page 7

OVERCOME BY GAS.

Double Tragedy in N.S.W.

Township.

LEAKING MAINS

SYDNEY, May 31

A double tragedy occurred at Prmble; nine miles north of

Some employees of the '■ Gas Company and the Water Board were endeavouring to locate leaks in the gas and water mains. John Simmonds, a turncock in the employ of the Water Board, opened a man-hole in the street and descended.

Almost immediately the other men heard him cry out for help. Herbert Sharp, one of the Gas Company's workers, went down the trim-hole to endea-■rour-to rescue Simmonds.-.,.;- •■

.The watchers on the top of the shaft were horrified to see Sharp reel and collapse in about 3ft of water.

Six of the remaining men attempted to rescue the first two, but they were all overcome by the pas fumes, which were subsequently discovered to- be escaping from one "of the mains in the same shaft as the water main.

The police had great difficulty in recovering the bodies of Simmonds and Sharp. They had to lift them to the top of the shaft, which was only 9ft in depth, by means of a long iron bar hooked at one end.