SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22194, 10 September 1937, Page 12

SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSES

ONE KILLED, THREE INJURED WORKERS ON RAILWAY BRIDGE ACCIDENT AT SPRINGFIELD f One man was killed and three injured when part of the scaffolding of a bridge on which they wee working near Springfield collapsed yesterday afternoon. A fifth escaped by gaining hold of the brjdge. Those involved in the accident were: — Killed John Owen Macer, aged about a married man, of Timaru. Injured William Laurence Stoddart, aged 32 married, qf 176 Durham street. Christchurch, compound fracture of the left ' arm and fractured ribs. Condition satisfactory. Albert Samuel Crewe, aged 38, married, of 64 Keppel street New Brighton, fractured arm and ribs, concussion. Condition satisfactory. Eric Austin, aged- 27, single, at Darfield, fractured nose and tibufa, abrasions. Condition satisfactory. The accident occurred about US, p.m. at the bridge crossing the Kowhai river, about a mile and a half past Springfield on the Weal Coast side. A beam supporting die planking on which the men were standing broke, and four of tfami fell about 40 feet on to dry shinga;, the fifth saving himself by seizing part of the bridge as he felL The* four men were taken to Springfield by train, where they were attended by Dr. C. E. Reid, of Darfield, but Macer died almost immediately on arrival. He suffered a fractured leg, and his skull is also thought to have been fractured. A St. John ambulance conveyed the injured men to Christchurch Public Hospital, where they were reported to be in a satisfactory con* dition last evening. All the men were employees of the Railway Department- Bie bridge, which is reserved for rau traffic, was being reinforced, and work is still proceeding. It is thought that a cross grain ini the beam may have caused the accident An inquest into Macer’s death will be opened to-day.