SAVED FROM DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 November 1934, Page 14

SAVED FROM DEATH

DEVONPORT BASE DRAMA. [per press association.] AUCKLAND, November 15. More than 150 feet above ground at the top of sheerlegs, which this morning were sent toppling into the haibour from Devonport naval base, a drama which might easily have become a tragedy was enacted this week. Only because of the fact that he was not alone at the apex of the 100 tons tripod, Charles Madigan, the central figure in the drama is alive to-day. With two workmen, Madigan, who is master of the Auckland Harbour Board’s floating crane, Mahua, had climbed the long ladder running up outside the rear leg of the tripod, to carry out some work at the apex. The job which the men were doing was the fixing of the heavy sling to facilitate the lifting of, the structure after it had been dropped into the harbour. Madigan was perched at the top _ of the ladder, one of the workmen being on the apex of the tripod above, and the other on the ladder immediately below him. In an endeavour to shift the heavy iron collar which had not been, moved for many vears. in order that the sling might be effectively rigged, Madigan strained heavily on an iron bar. Suddenly, the bar slipped with the result that his two elbows jarred sharply on the tops of the two sides of the ladder. Fortunately, for Madigan his boxly was pressed hard against the rungs of the ladder and the jar did not send him hurtling backwards down the leg of the tripod. Although in considerable pain as the result of the jar to both “funny bones,” Madigan did not immediately lose consciousness.-Within a few minutes, however, no doubt partly due to the fact that the accident happened 156 feet above the ground, he began to feel dizzy. At first, he thought that he would immediately attempt to descend the long ladder, but as he began to feel worse instead of better he realised that such course would be impossible. A few minutes after the accident Madigan, still at the top of the sheerlegs, lost consciousness completely. Fortunately for him, his two companions on the • tripod were able to hold him as he lay across the top of the ladder.

Down below in the dockyard workmen went about their various jobs totally unaware of the drama that was being enacted 150 feet above them. Neither of the two men who were with Madigan on the sheerlegs dared to go down for help, and all three remained where they were. When the injured man regained consciousness he was helped to remain where he was until his strength came back, and then a careful descent was made to the deck of the jetty and safety. Altogether it was estimated that Madigan was in peril for almost 20 minutes. “I have never fainted in my life before, and it was a great place to pick to start with,” said Madigan, who has been in charge of the floating crane for 14 years, and is widely known as a keen yachtsman. A coincidence is that exactly a similar incident occurred some years ago, when a man who is now employed as fireman at the dockyard, lost consciousness at the top of sheerlegs and was held in security until his senses returned.