FATAL ACCIDENT AT OAMARU.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 3419, 4 August 1879, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT AT OAMARU.

Oamaru, August 1. A dreadful accident occurred at the waterworks yesterday evening, and resulted in tho death of two men named respectively Patrick Markham and Paul Fitzfatrick, and serious injury to Patrick Ford, one of the contractors on the works. The three men, with another named Qeedy, were engaged in replacing the wood in the 28 chain tunnel with masonry, when the woodwork gave way, ! burying the three men. Reedy escaped, 1 and Ford crouched against the side of the wall and escaped the falling earth and rock, but hi 3 leg was broken by the beams falling on it. Markham was killed.instantaneously, but Ford heard Fitzpatrick speak before the second fall occurred. It is supposed it must have smothered him. The accident occurred a u jut half-past 4 o'clock, and it was nearly 2 o'clock this morning before Ford was taken oat. The body of Markham was recovered at 1 p.m. to-day, and although at that hour the body of the j other man was visible, it had not been extricated up to 5 p.m. A large gang of I men was at work incessantly from both sides of the fall for some 24 hours with-

out rest. Dr Garland, who was sent for, arrived on the spot at 11 o'clock last n-ght, and remained until Ford was taken out and attended to his injuries. An inquest will be held to-morrow. Both men killed were unmarried. Mr Ford i 3 a married man with a large family. August 3. The inquest on the victims of the accident at the waterworks resulted iv a verdict of "Accidental death." The funeral to-day was largely attendee!.