TERRIBLE LIFT ACCIDENT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5804, 27 January 1887, Page 2

TERRIBLE LIFT ACCIDENT.

r (UNITEB^PRESSrftSSOeiATIOir^-.r^'' Wellington, January 24. A terrible accident Occurred this morning aTOayman and CompanyiT "bulk store, Lambton Quay, by which a man named William Kitchen, one of the hands employed in thrsfe&re^met with a sudden and terrible death. Kitchen, and a boy named Kerßhaw" haying -loaded tKe cage of 1^? lift- with rsomel cases of matches, entered themselves' to go up with they goods. The boy v was on top of the c'ases^and; Kitchen waa^ding on the floor of the cage. It hadibeen raised just above the second storey; ; a" height, of ?P m ?,t° '5 et V W i^ the cH * in broke^and ltfellto the bottom, ft 1 - struck 'Kif!ch«n on his head. It is supposed that when the ground floor was opened out there beins; nothing to retain him in the cage he fell outwards/'witHlparfclof^his bpdyjunder the- cagej whicir landed 1 pn it, crashing it amost to pulp. The unfortunate, man when dragged from undorneathV was found in addition towotiiibts on the face and back part's A of the'head, which were bleeding profusely, to. have both his thighs and c hiir sfde/bursVin, so that his entrailsprotruded. 1 ''He continued to breathe' 'sp^asntiodicaUy for some five minutes, and then expired unconscious to the end. The boy Kershaw-had a wonderful 3scaps, but' received' some rather nasty contusions upbrte tj&& arms, and body. Kitfchen ; 'was a "single man, 29 years of aga. ■'■>•■■■■ With regard to the lift accident, it is now supposed that when tne chain broke Kitchen was struck by it on the head, and then thrown out so that his legs hune over the side. When the cage reached the ground, half his body was underneath and frightfully mangled, The -brake had been fitted to the' lift but did J ndtaot. It was calculated to work a load .of two tons, and'only half a tonkas in^t atH;h'e;time. The chain was : evidently, i defectiye. J ,VThe manager' states tfie brd'ert' werV'that 'nb one wiis to ascend by i: the^^ Hft, andV-Kiji-chen was aware of this: I Tn'e : .vibtfm had been six ; months at Hiyman's.' Kershaw was bruised on the leg and arm, and his leg and arm and his face were blackened, but none of the hurts were serous.

January 25. At the inquest on William Kitchen, killed on Monday in a lift, the jury returned a verdict-of accidental deathTacTding a rider censuring Messrs Jacob* Joseph, owners, and .J. Lahman, local agent, and Hayman and Co., occupiers, for not having the?lif t inspected by Government.