YOUTH'S HEROISM
How John Mathias, a 17-year-old youth, made a heroic attempt to rescue a fellow-worker in a gas-filled chamber was described at an inquest at I Swansea on Sydney Leonard Burns, aged 39, a fitter, who fell into a draining cliamber containing three feet of oil at Queen's Dock, Swansea. Mathias, it was stated, .heard that Burns was missing and went down the ladder to the level of the pipe lines. He crawled along these, but felt the gas from the crude oil overcoming him. He started Vb go.back when he saw part of a man's knees above the oil. He went up for air, then again, descended and seized Burns by the leg. He tried to lift the body out' of the oil, but was overcome a second time and had to return. He obtained a gas mask and life line and descended a third time, accompanied by another man. They recovered Burns's body. Mathias lost consciousness when he left the chamber." A verdict of accidental death was returned, and Mathias was commended for his bravery. Curtains which caught fire in a house at 5 Boulcott Avenue yesterday evening brought the Fire Brigade to the scene in quick time and the blaze was extinguished before any great damage had been done. The house is I occupied by Mrs. Gwen Clayton. -.'>?•
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19350427.2.104
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 11
Word Count
222YOUTH'S HEROISM Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 11
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