CRUSHED TO DEATH.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19343, 22 June 1928, Page 9

CRUSHED TO DEATH.

INQUEST ON RAILWAY EMPLOYEE. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, June 21. Details of a recent accident iH the Newmarket railway workshops were given at the inquest concerning the death of Edward Reid, aged 40, who was killed instantly when a steel frame weighing two tons crushed him to the ground. Reid and other men were lifting steel car frames with a sling from railway trucks on the afternoon of May 11th when the fatal accident occurred. . u Describing the accident, Thomas a, Jones, a crane driver, employed at the workshops, said he was engaged on the crane hoisting van frames weighing between two and three tons from a waggbn on to the ground. They were being lifted by two slings tested approximately at a lifting power of five tons each. These slings were hooked in the usual way around the frame, with about 10 feet between the slings, which were 14 feet in length. _ There were two men below working with wit ness, one being Reid. . "I started my engine and had the load lifted about 6 feet above the floor of the waggon and was slewing the load round to my right when there was a crash," continued witness. I found one sling had slipped off the crane hook and the load had crashed, the left end being on the ground. Getting out of my cabin 1 saw one of the men pinned to the ground by the end of the van frame, which was on his shoulders and head. Then 1 lowered the load, bringing the high end of the frame down on the waggon and the end pinning Reid rose." Witness said he had been a crane driver for 20 years and had lifted many van frames with tackle similar to that used on the day of the accident. "I consider the tackle was quite in order for the job," he said. "The reason the accident occurred was because the ring of the left sling slipped off the crane hook, but I cannot pass an opinion as to how it occurred. Witness said his instructions were "safety first," and before he hoisted the frame he saw that the ring was properly oil the hook. "I think, he added, "that when the load was swung it must have hit something, so causing the ring to come off the hook. Andrew W. Sanson, manager of the workshops, said he thought the accident was caused by the frame striking something, thus causing the ring to come off. • . Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., returned a verdict of accidental death.