WESTFIELD TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 212, 8 September 1930, Page 9

WESTFIELD TRAGEDY.

ELDERLY MAN'S DEATH.

TELL IN PHOSPHATE BIN,

DESPERATE RESCUE EFFORTS

William Cowell, an elderly man, fell into a bin containing phosphate at the fertiliser works of Kempthorne, Prosser. Limited, at Westfield, this afternoon. When his body was recovered he was dead.

Desperate efforts were made by a number of Mr. CowelFs fellow workers /to extricate him from the bin. Mr. Cowell lived at Wellpark Avenue. Grey Lynn. The man fell from a vertical ladder into the bin and disappeared. The powdered phosphate in the bin was being taken away at the bottom in an automatic chute, and the suction evidently drew the man downwards. The rescue party practically reached him at one stage, but the powder on the side caved in. and overwhelmed him. It was then decided to cut a hole in the side of the bin near the bottom.

Dr. A. Martin Ross was present when the bodv was recovered.

An inquest was opened before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M.. and evidence of identification was given by a son of the dead man. who was an employee at the works.

It was stated that nearly an hour had elapsed from the time the man fell into the bin until the body was recovered.