OVERCOME BY GAS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 187, 7 May 1934, Page 3

OVERCOME BY GAS

Wellington Man Loses His Life COMPANION SURVIVES Dominion Special Service. Feilding, May 5. As the result of gas escaping from a valve on which they were working at the Feilding gasworks this morning, a young man lost his life and another young man was admitted to the Palmerston North Hospital. Deceased was Cyril Bray, aged 30 years, singlo, of Wellington. His companion was James Lever, also of Wellington. The men . were employed by a Wellington engineering firm, and were working on one of the valves' controlling the flow of gas from the gasometers. They were in a small shed close to the gasometers. The valves had been causing trouble, and the young men had removed the heads of the valves when they were discovered in the mechanism pit, apparently having failed to detect the smell of escap-' ing gas direct from the gasometers. Bray was working over the top of the valve and apparently received a greater proportion of the escaping gas than Lever, who was further away from the valve. The men were found by Mr. C. H. Eichler, an employee of the gasworks, and were in an unconscious state. Medical aid was secured and resuscitation methods applied. Bray was beyond aid, but Lever was brought to consciousness and was taken to the Palmerston North Hospital. He was discharged this evening.

The two men had had considerable experience as gasworks engineers, and apparently their familiarity with the smell of gas was responsible for their not noticing the strength of the fumes.