Inquest held into train driver’s death
PA Greymouth An inquest into the death of an Otira engine driver killed when the electric locomotive he was driving plunged into a washout near the township, was held by the Coroner (Mr D. H. Copeland) at Greymouth on Friday. Owen Francis Fitzgerald drowned after being trapped in the locomotive’s cab.
Mr lan Dixon, who was with him at the time of the accident, said the train left Otira during a storm and
travelled towards Arthur’s Pass. He tried to shout a warning to Mr Fitzgerald when he saw the washout, but was too late and the train slid into the river.
He said water poured into the cab and it was like “being inside a washing machine,” but he managed to clamber out on to the roof of the train. The Coroner found that Mr Fitzgerald died of asphyxia, caused by the inhalation of stomach contents.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19800714.2.23
Bibliographic details
Press, 14 July 1980, Page 2
Word Count
153Inquest held into train driver’s death Press, 14 July 1980, Page 2
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.