TRAPPED IN TUNNEL

Evening Star, Issue 19918, 14 July 1928, Page 11

TRAPPED IN TUNNEL

MAN'S tEBRI BLE OBQEAL VAIN EFFORT TO SAVE HIS LIFE [Per Unitud L'uess Association.) AUCKLAND, July 13. Crushed beneath a fall •of earth in a tunnel at Morningside at half-past, me this morning,. -.William--Everett, of Yaima street, Grey Lynn, wont through a terrible ordeal before expiring. His body was recovered at 11:50 a.m. For almost three' hours ho was able to call out to the men who were engaged in an endeavour to' rescue him. Then another fall of earth took place, covering Everett completely. Everett was employed by Grinter, Bros., drainage contractors, who are engaged on a new sewer for tho Edondale district. The tunnel in which ho met bis death was parallel to Eldon load and Goring road in some open paddocks. ■ Everett relieved George' :agc, who had been on the previous shift from 4 o f ’ clock till midnight. He v was assisted "by Betrand Segrave, a trucker, who was his shift mate.

■ut 1.30 a.m., an hour and a-half after tho two men had begun their shift, Everett was placing side timber in position on the leftJiand side of the drive when without warning tho face came away and completely covered him.

Segrave, who was standing about a vard further back, towards.the tunnel mouth, was caught round tho legs by tbe falling earth, but lie was able to extricate himself. Everett called out to him, and asked whether, .o was all right. “ Yes,” replied Segrave. ‘ Cm you got me out of this? ” Everett then asked. Segrave tried to got Everett clear, but could not, and went for assistance. He got some neighbours and the contractor, as well as other helpers from tho town. They worked strenuously. Thomas M'Ewan, the foreman, took charge of the operations, and.by 4 a.m, they had almost cleared they fall to where Everett, was trapped. They.then heard him call, . “Is there any hope of getting me'- out?”-- They -replied there was, and worked feverishly. It was then that another fall .of earth occurred, and after that mnly fainc sounds were heard.. -■ ; The tunnel ■ was , only about fortyfive feet in length, and the'distance from the roof to tho floor was approximately eight 1 feet. The bottom portion of the drive was composed of soft papa rock, and tho- top portion of clay. It is presumed that there - was a greasy back or fault: between the papa rock and the'clay, and that this gave way, causing tho accident,' , , | Everett was married, with lour children.