HURLED TO DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19195, 8 December 1925, Page 12

HURLED TO DEATH.

YOUNG MAN'S AWFUL FATE

DEATH IN A SEWER SHAFT. SHEER DROP OF 250 FEET. [FROM orII OWN COUnESPONbr.NT. ] SYDNEY Nov. 25. A young man named John Cummins was hurled 250 ft. to death in a sewer shaft at Enfield, a suburb of Sydney, on Monday afternoon, the body being recovered with much difficulty. Cummins was expected to start work at 3 p.m. He was not there when the rest of the gang signed on, and began to descend the shaft. They left word that ho was to come down when ho arrived, At 5 p.m. he had not put in an appearance, and a man was despatched to the surface. lie learnt that Cummins had been seen' near the mouth of the shaft shortly after the other men had gone down. Some of the surface workers said they had seen Cummins near the top of the shaft. When next they looked some, time after he had disappeared, and they naturally concluded that ho had descended to begin work. After result-less inquiries had been made Cummins' mates began to fear that he had fallen down the shaft, which is-250ft. deep. They descended hurriedly, seeing, as they did so, signs which confirmed their worst fears.. On the sides of the shaft were scratches and parts where the earth had been dislodged. At the bottom of the shaft is a pool of water 7ft. deep, the depths of which the sub-foreman of the gang decided to search. He dived several times before ho was able to locate the body of .Cummins. Other men assisted him to drag his burden into a nearby channel. Hero respiratory measures were tried. Meanwhile the ambulance and police had been notified, and were rushing to the scene.. On their arrival two ambulance men and the constable descended tho shaft and took charge of the rescue work. With great difficulty the man was brought to the surface, where another hurried attempt to restore animation was made before placing him in the ambulance waggon. Their efforts, however, were unsuccessful. Cummins was beyond human aid. He left a wife and three young children.