HOLLOW GIRDER TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19170, 9 November 1925, Page 5

HOLLOW GIRDER TRAGEDY.

WORKER'S FATAL STRAIN. STORY OF A RESCUE. Two English railwaymen, William Allman and Frederick Dutton. both of Runcorn, were ' warmly complimented recently by the local coroner at the inquest on Joseph Maddocks, who was rescued from a horizontal hollow girder on the Runcorn railway bridge, but who died without regaining consciousness. Allman said that he and Haddocks were preparing the girder for inspection, and Maddocks entered it in order to remove the bungs from the ventilation holes, which were situated about 20 feet part. Thev kept up' communication with each other by tapping with a hammer. The girder was about 320 feet loiiff, and Maddocks was accustomed to the work. The witness said that there were occasions when the atmosphere was so bad that they could not remain inside, for ten minutes, and there were other days when it could be endured for two hours. They used an oil torch lamp for illumination purposes, and propelled themselves through the girder 011 a small trolley, upon which they had to lay prone. Maddocks had travelled about 120 feet when the signals to each other ceased and the witness came to the conclusion that something was wrong. He and F. Dutton then entered the girder from the opposite end and they found Maddocks lying unconscious on his side. They worked one and a-half hours before they could get him out of the girder into the open. Fred Dutton said that workmen had to use their own discretion as to how long they could remain in the girder. If they felt themselves fainting they had to make their way out. Ewart Mullner said that Maddocks was preparing the girder for his inspection. The width § of the girder was 18 inches and the height 20a inches. Such girders were riot now adopted in modern engineering practice. The bridge was built in 1865 and at this time it was considered a masterpiece of engineering. Medical evidence attributed death to cerebal hemorrhage, brought on by the strain and the position Maddocks was working in. A verdict in accordance with medical testimony was returned. The coroner complimented the rescuers. He suggested that electric lamps should be used instead of oil lamps, and that some method of improving the ventilation of the girders should be found.