BURIED IN SAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 12

BURIED IN SAND

MAN'S SEVERE INJURIES SAVED FROM SUFFOCATION TIMELY AID OF COMPANION ACCIDENT ON ROADSIDE Buried under a fall of about eight tons of sand and severely injured, a farmer, Mr. Gordon Gillman, aged 50, married, narrowly escaped death by suffocation on th© Taurangaruru Road, five miles from Waiuku, yesterday afternoon. Mr. Gillman was saved by tho efforts of a companion, Mr. J. Short, jun., of Waipipi, who was missed by the fall of sand and who dug desperately to get the buried man's head free, enabling him to breathe. Mr. Gillman, who lives at Taurangaruru, was later admitted to the Auckland Hospital. He is suffering from internal injuries, and his condition last night was fairly serious.

Tho two men had just completed loading a motor-truck with sand from a deposit in a cutting, when the face above them gave way without warning. The fall struck Mr. Gillman, forced him back against the step of the motortruck, and covered him until only the top of his head was showing. His shovel was jammed against him, as he collapsed in a sitting position.

Mr. Short, who was not struck by the fall, immediately commenced to remove the sand that was covering Mr. Gillman, threatening to suffocate him, and succeeded in freeing the injured man's head. After half an hour's hard work Mr. Short had his companion partly extricated from the sand, but Mr. Gillman's shovel had jammed him in such a manner that he could not be lifted clear until the handle had been broken.

The assistance of Mr. H. Knight, a farmer living pear by, was obtained, and Mr. Gillman was driven to the Franklin Memorial Hospital at Waiuku, where he was treated. He was later brought to Auckland in a St. John ambulance.