LIFT WELL FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18601, 8 January 1924, Page 5

LIFT WELL FATALITY.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.

MAN'S ACCIDENTAL FALL.

The circumstances of the death of Lennox Owen Croxford, a bricklayer' 3 apprentice, aged 20, who was fatally injured last Thursday morning through falling down a lift well at the Shortland Flats, a building in the course of erection at the top of Shortland Street, were investigated at an inquest held by Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., yesterday. Deceased fell a distance of nearly 40 feet, and sustained a fractured skull and a cut on the back of the neck, from which he died almost immediately. Mr. R. P. Hunt appeared for deceased's employer, Mr. N. Cole, builder and contractor, Mr. J. Hollows represented the Labour Department, and Sergeant Cohvell represented the police. The foreman on the works said that a few minutes before the accident deceased was working on the landing on the third floor, from which he fell. No one actually saw him fall. In witness' opinion, deceased, who was engaged in casing the lift well with concrete blocks, leaned over the side of the well to call to someone below, and in doing so, fell. John M. Murdoch, scaffolding inspector, said he visited ths building immediately after the accident. The guard rails were all in order, except the one on the third floor. It would neve bean necessary for deceased to have removed one end of tho rail to start on his work.

The Coroner returned a verdict that death was caused through deceased accidentally falling down the lift well. Mr. Poynton added that, so far as he could see, there was no blame attachable to anyone. «

RUN OVER BY TRAIN. ACCIDENT ON BOXING DAY. The adjourned inquest touching the death of Mr. Jack McGuinness, a, quarryman, who was killed at the Auckland Railway Station on Boxing Day, about 5.30 p.m., while attempting to board a train, was concluded by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday. Andrew Hellriegel, a bagmaker, who was standing on the platform at the rear of the train, gavo evidence that when the train was in motion deceased, tried to get on to the platform of the carriagenext to the guard's van, and then appeared to fall straight down between the carriage and the platform. Witness thought deceased missed his footing. It was found that the van of the train had nassed over him. Witness said the scci. dent was duo to the man's own fault, as due warning was given of the starting of the train. Keith McAllister, a pori'r on duty on No. 5 platform, said that before he "gave the starting sieoal for a special train leaving for Frankion at 5.27 p.re, he saw deceased on the platform. McGuinness had ample time to board the train, as when witness first saw him the engine had wot backed down. Further evidence was given by Arthuv John Low, a guard, who was acting as foreman at the station on Boxing Day. The verdict returned was that the cause of. death was injuries received through accidentally falling between the platform and a moving tram and being ran over.