MAN’S SHOCKING DEATH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8179, 22 July 1912, Page 1

MAN’S SHOCKING DEATH

KILLED IN A FOUNDRY CAUGHT IN SHAFTING WHILE MENDING BELT. BODY FEARFULLY MUTILATED. run ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH. July 20. A shocking fatality occurred in the boiler-shop of the Lyttelton foundry of Messrs Anderson’s, Limited, at about 10 o’clock this morning," a machinist named Charles Aluschamp being caught in the main shafting, whirled round, and killed instantaneously, his body being fearfully mutilated. Muschamp was engaged in mending a broken belt which had been running on a pulley on the main shaft. After putting the fastenings on the broken ends of the belt, he mounted a ladder which' was resting on a bracket below the shaft, and pushed one end of the belt over and the other under the shaft, which was revolving between his arms. There was only one actual eye-wit-ness of the accident, a youth named Sydney James, whp was standing close to the ladder. He stated that the whole thing happened in an instant, and that while Aluschamp was reaching over the shaft, about twelve feet above the ground, part of his clothing became entangled with a keep on the shaft, which was running at 108 revolutions per minute. Either his sleeve or the loose partof his coat was caught, and Muschamp was torn from the ladder and carried over the shaft and' whirled round several times., James and several other horrified men rushed to the engine-room and the engines were stopped at once, and Musi champ was taken down. Death must have been instantaneous, for it_ is thought that his head struck a piece of angle iron just above the shaft. His head was badly crushed, both legs were completely severed ' below the knees, 1 both arms were broken, and. the chest badly bruised. ~ Deceased was a married man, and leaves a widow and two young children, residing at John street, Sydenham. He was about thirty-five years of age, and had been employed by: Messrs. , Andersens, Ltd.,. ' for about i seventeen years, the last eight years' as a machinist at the firmjs Lyttelton shops. * A ' ' ’ , At the inguest Fred William Anderson, Lyttelton, director of ■ Andersohs, Ltd.j stated .that deceased was a careful, steady, and industrious man. He was an expert man, on belt-, ing, and had done similar work thou" sands of times; ;■ *

After .hearing evidence the coroner recorded a' verdict that deceased was accidentally killed.