TRAGEDY AT GASWORKS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 188, 8 May 1934, Page 11

TRAGEDY AT GASWORKS

Victim’s Death “A Pure Accident” VERDICT OF CORONER Dominion Special Service. Feilding, May 7. A verdict of death by misadventure through gas poisoning was returned by the district coroner, Mr. E. Goodbeliere, at an inquest at Feilding this morning on Cyril Cresswell Bray, aged 25 years, of Wellington, who was found dead near a gas valve at the Feilding gasworks on Saturday morning. James Henry Leaver. a married man. at present residing in Feilding, said that Bray was assisting him in repairing a valve at the meter house at the gasworks on Saturday. Witness said he had had 30 years’ experience in gas engineering and the maintenance of all kinds of gas plants. The job on which he and Bray was engaged was a one-man job, the second man being there to watch the man carrying out the work on account of the danger of being gassed. Witness was repairing the valve and when he had taken the cap off the valve he discovered that the gas was coming out too strongly to removed the slide. He then puttied it to stop the leak of gas. He asked Bray for more putty and did not remember anything more until he found himself in the Palmerston North Hospital. Witness said that every possible care had been taken and he and Bray had beep taken by surprise. He could see no reason for the accident; it was simply an unfortunate happening. There was a considerable amount of danger and for that reason the second man was in attendance.

Charles Henry Eichler, an employee at the gasworks, said he had seen the two men working in the meter house. About 20 minutes later he had noticed a strong smell of gas, and, going over to the meter house, discovered Bray lying across the gas ipes. with his head in front of the open valve. He was receiving the full force of the gas in his face. Leaver was unconscious, but was still breathing, and was kept moving until the arrival of a doctor. Bray appeared to be dead when he was removed.

Dr. Phillips said that he had been called to the gasworks. Bray was dead when he arrived, but resuscitative measures on Leaver were successful;

George Henry'Mansfield, manager of the gasworks, said he could not understand both men being overcome together. - It was a most unusual occurrence and it Was the first time he had heard of such in his experience. Before the men had commenced their work they had opened the window of the meter house for ventilation and a strong current of air was coming through it. Later in the morning the wind dropped altogether and when he returned to the meter house after the accident there was little or no draught coming through the window. In returning his verdict, Mr. Goodbehere said that it appeared from the evidence that every precaution had been taken and that the men were, carrying out their work in the usual manner. No blame was attachable to anyone, the death of Bray being a pure accident.