BRIDGE FATALITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22140, 20 June 1935, Page 14

BRIDGE FATALITY

ACCIDENT AT MEKCER DANGEROUS BEND MENACE COMMENT BY CORONER RESCUE WORK COMMENDED [from our OWN" correspondent] PUKEKOEE, Wednesday "In my opinion the bend where this accident occurred is proving a dangerous one," said Mr. C. K. Lawrie, J.P., coroner, at the inquest to-day concerning the deaths of Peter Keay, aged S4, and his son, Norman William Keay, aged 16. who were drowned when their motor-car ran off a bridge on the Great South Road and into the Mangatawhiri Stream, near Mercer, on May 30. "Accidents are repeatedly happening at this bridge," continued the coroner. "The Main Highways Board has built a beautiful road from Auckland to Hamilton, but in this one-way bridge and its approaches there appears to be much room for improvement to give the travelling public a reasonable margin of safety." "The evidence shows that the driver took all reasonable precautions on coming on to the bridge," added Mr. Lawrie, '"but the bend in the road, together with the glaring sun, which temporarily blinded him, made it too difficult for him to prevent the car smashing through the railings of the bridge." Mr. Lawrie commended workers from a camp near the scene of the accident, who so quickly entered the water and rescued Frank Peter Keay, another son of Mr. Keay, who was the only occupant of the car to escape. Evidence was given by Reece Nicholson Marshall, a labourer from the camp, that he had heard the crash from about 75 yards away. He said he ran to the bridge and saw a wheel of the car above the surface of the water. He and others rescued the man, who rose to the surface, but they were unable to open the door of the upturned car until it was dragged over on its side. They then extricated the two bodies. Another worker at the camp, Francis John Jalfon, said he saw the car crash through the bridge railings and land upside down in the stream. The car sank out of sight immediately. He assisted in the rescue, but it was fully 10 minutes before they were able to get the bodies out. Everything was done with as little delay as possible, but the depth of the discoloured water proved an additional handicap. Artificial respiration was tried without sueccss. Dr. H. Stewart Douglas, of Pukekohe, said that when he arrived he found that artificial respiration was being ; carried out in a thorough*} efficient manner. He continued for half an hour, but at no stage was there any sign of life. -Death in both cases was due to drowning, there being no marks of external violence. A verdict that deceased were accidentally drowned in the Mangatawhiri Stream through their car going over the bridge was returned by the coroner.