MANGAHAO ACCIDENT

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 4, 5 July 1922, Page 5

MANGAHAO ACCIDENT

ITHE EXHAUST, CASES DID ;N033 DEIJVBR INTO. THE ffONNEE. , W*t3i teference to the accident at Mangahao, by exhaust .gases from an oil engine, the following information has been gleaned by inquiry from the officials of the Public .Works Department. It appears that,, contrary to popular belief, the exhaust gases from the petrol engine did not deliver into the tunnel, but into a duct, which also acted as a ventilating duct for general ventilation, in the tunnel,, and at tho outlet end of this-duct was an exhaust fan which drew the foul air both from the men employed and from the' engine into the open. air. "This was quite a satisfactory arrangement, and involved no risk whatever to the workers. On the occasion of the eccident, owing to the stoppage of the machinery in the main power-house for Sunday overhaul, the exhaust fan could not be worked, consequently the oil engine was shut down, and when Foremau Maxwell and Ms man stated their intention of going to the tunnel to do some repair work, they were instructed not to start the old engine. However, owing to the stoppage of the engine overnight, there would necessarily be a considerable accumulation of water in the tunnel, and no doubf with tho idea of clearing out this accumulation, and with ,the best of intentions, they started the engine. Then, owing to the fact that the fan at the outlet end was not working, and was therefore really acting as a stopper in the pipe, the exhaust gases found the path of least resistance, which wasi out the wrong end of tho pipe fo> the working face, wliich was quite a short distance from the engine. The first two men, no doubt, noticed this after a short time, and proceed to shut off the engine and retire from tho tunnel. They evidently shut off the engine, as it was not working when the final rescue patty caifte in, but they were apparently not ablo then to struggle* on to the outlet.