LIFT WELL FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18189, 7 September 1922, Page 6

LIFT WELL FATALITY.

DEATH OF ELDERLY MAN.

FALLS ON CONCRETE FLOOR.

Fatal injuries were sustained by a man about 60 years of age, Mr. A. Laurie, yesterday afternoon, through falling down the lift-wuR in Williamson's Chambers. Shortland Street. ' There were no eye-witnesses of the accident, but the injured man was found at about 2.45 p.m. lying unconscious ab the bottom of the sump. Dr. W. E. Sharman, whose surgery is situated in th« same building, was called to attend to him. but his condition was hopeless, bis skull having been badly fractured at the base. He only lived a few minutes after the arrival 61 the doctor

Mr. Laurie was formerly a resident of Kingsland, but had been residing for the past week at Marewa Roa3. Green Lane. He was a marrfed man and the police ascertained that he had a married daughter residing at Avondale. So far as his movements had been traced last night all that was known was that Mr. Laurie left his home at about mid-day It is surmised that he opened the door of the lift at the ground floor, in Williamson's Chambers under the impression that the cage was on that floor level. This was not the case, however, and he must have stopped into space, falling 14ft. or 15ft. on to the concrete below. The lift is an automatic one, worked by the person utilising it, and, therefore, no attendant was in charge of it.