ACCIDENT ON SHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20807, 25 February 1931, Page 12

ACCIDENT ON SHIP.

INJURIES TO THREE MEN.

TWO IN SERIOUS CONDITION

HEAVY DERRICK CRASHES,

A serious accident on the steamer Port Fremantlo yesterday morning, caused by a falling derrick, resulted in three waterside workers who were, working at the winch receiving severe injuries. A number of other men had a very narrow escape. The injured arc:— Mr. Alexander Williams, aged 62, married, of 41, Park Road, fractured skull and severe facial injuries. Ilis condition is critical.

Mr. Arthur Harman, aged 51, married, of 30, Picton Street, Ponsonby, extensive head injuries. His condition is serious. Mr. William Barr, single, of 85, Cook Street, injuries to back and right luieo cap. Condition not serious. The accident occurred while tho men were getting tho derrick ready for loading cargo at the Queen's Wharf. The beam, which is of steel, over 30ft. long, and weighs 2' s tons, fell with a crash from tho boat-deck, striking tho three men in its descent. It came to rest with one end on tho wharf and tho other against the deck rails, which wero torn down by the impact. Several men who wero standing on the wharf scattered only just in time to prevent other casualties. Tho accident was not duo to anything breaking, but to the wire hauser slipping over the winch drum. Mr. Barr was at the winch, Mr. Harman was at the compressor, which acts as a brake, and Mr. Williams was paying out the rope, and all three were standing directly under the derrick. Without warning, the rope commenced to slip, and any effort that might have been made to operate the compressor appears to havo beon ineffectual. The rope continued to slip and the boom came down with tremendous force, the gooseneck which fastens it to the mast jumping out of its socket. This end of tho boom felled Mr. Barr and Mr. Harman to the deck, while Mr. Williams, it is presumed, was struck on the head by the wire rope, which swept the deck like a whip.

Two St. John ambulances were despatched to tho scene of the accident, one arriving in th 6 space of a few minutes from tho Queen's Wharf ambulance station. The injured men, lying in stretchers, were hoisted from the deck by electric crane into the ambulances and conveyed to the Auckland Hospital.