A SOAPWORKS SENSATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXII, Issue 140, 22 June 1898, Page 2

A SOAPWORKS SENSATION.

l-'ALL INTO A VAT, NABROw"eSCAPE. A painful accident, and one that narrowly escaped proving very serious, if not fatal, ocourred about half past four yesterday afternoon, to a young man named Cbas. McLeoil, whilst engaged in his usual work at Messrs Haddow & Pettit's soapworks iu Waimea-street. The hot soap in a largo vat had been drained off in the usual way by a tap, and McLeod was proceeding to bale out what remained below the level of the tap when the accident happened. He had placed a ladder in the vat, and was standing on this whon the foot of the ladder slipped out and caused him to fall, and drop feet first into the two or three feet of the hot soap. He at once olambered up the ladder as far as possible and grasped a steam pipe whioh runs down the inside of the vat. This pipe, though not then in use, was still hot, but MoLeod olung to it, at the same time calling for aid. He was at once lifted out of his perilous position, and whilst a messenger went for a dootor, Mr Haddow out off the lower part of the sufferer's trousers, and removed his boots, which, being a thick water-tight pair.had saved his feet. Oil was also applied to the injured parts, and on pr Mackie arriving he ordered tlje patients removal to the hospital. The young man suffered great pain at first, but to-day he is much easier and is progressing as well as can be exported. His legs are badly burned from the ankles to the knees, and his hands were also- burnt, though not seriously, by the hot pipe. It will, of course be some time before he is able to get about again, MoLeod has been unfortunate of late, as last year he wus laid up in tlie hospital for about three months iu consequence of a broken leg received on the football field.