SHUNTING FATALITY

Evening Star, Issue 24003, 30 September 1941, Page 10

SHUNTING FATALITY

INQUEST CONCLUDED An accident in which William Tell Lauini (413) suflcred injuries from which he subsequently died, while engaged in shunting operations at the Dunedin railway goods yard on August 30, was the subject of an inquest (previously 1 opened and adjourned), which was held before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., yesterday afternoon. Mr Garth Gallaway appeared for the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and for Mrs Lanini, and Mr W. E, Wilson for the Railway Department. Senior-sergeant Black represented the police. Dr Christabel Dickie, junior house surgeon at the Dunedin Hospital, gave evidence regarding the nature of the injuries suffered by the deceased, who. had died on September 3, four days after admission. In her opinion death was due to cardiac failure, the result of cerebral laceration and cerebral haemorrhage following such injuries. Bert Carr Tempero, who was assisting the deceased at the time of the accident, explained how a rake of wagons which had been slipped from the shunting engine failed to clear the points. As a second pull was being taken, deceased told the other two men to stand away, and -moved towards the first wagon of the rake. As ho did so the hook on the engine end of the rake slipped off, flew back, and struck deceased on the face, knocking him down. He was then dragged a few feet when caught by the edge of the axle box. To Mr Wilson: There was no delay on the part of the engine crew in responding to the signals. To Mr Gallaway: The two hooks on the tail rope were not of equal spread. Other railway employees gave similar evidence, and the Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, the injuries therein described being received while deceased was engagd in shunting operations on August 30. The Coroner added that the evidence showed that the hook on the engine end of the tailrope had apparently been straightened out, and it was a matter for the appropriate authorities to make sure in future that such hooks were tested at regular intervals in order to ensure a margin of safety.