TUNNEL FATALITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19001, 25 October 1923, Page 2

TUNNEL FATALITY.

INQUEST CONCLUDED. The adjourned inquest concerning the death of Wilfred Vivian Gain, guard s assistant, who fell off a train in the Caversham tunnel on October 12, and died in the Dunedin Hospital early on the following morning, was continued before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting us coroner at the courthouse yesterday. Sub-inspector Ecctes conducted the case for the police. Mr G. Gregg (traffic manager) watched the proceedings on behalf of the Railway Department, and Mr R. Alloo appeared for the relatives of rhe deceased.

Robert Henry Simons, stationmastcr at Dunedin, said that deceased had been etn ployed by the "Railway Department for about two and a-balf years. There was a rule that on railway crossings must be closed before the train left the stations. With nil the precautions the department took, it was impossible to keep the rule mil h oly enforced. Deceased was a steady, reliable man.

James Henry Miohie Morrison, guanu employed by the Railway Department, said that deceased had assisted him in his duties on the morning of the accident. Deceased hud assisted witness on two previous occasions. He was steady and reliable. When the train left Dunedin elation at 7.52 a.m. the gates were all closed. 'lnere was a platform between each carnage. Deceased got off the train when it stopped at Cuvershnm, and entered the guard s van before the journey was continued. u itno vs told deceased to £0 to the front of the train and commence checking. By (lie time deceased reached the front of the train it would he starting to go througn the tunnel. Witness did not see deceased after he had given him instructions regarding checking. Ho found afterwards hat the unfortunate man had only chocked one carriage before he fell off the (ram. Witness did not notice the train swav in the tunnel on (he morning of the accident. He found that deceased was missing alter the train left Burnside. While going through the train in search of Gain, ho noticed (hat the gate on the front platform on the second car was onen on the ‘ safety” side. On arrival at Green Island ha reported the matter to the stationmaster, after which the Ijne was blocked and a search made for Gain. Witness nad been employed by the Railway Department for 15 or 16 years. He considered that (he pang wavs of the carriages were quite sate.—To Mr Alloo; The swaying of the tram would be felt most in the rear where, witness was. He was quite satisfied that, the deceased had not gone into the second carriage. To the Coroner: The gangways and handrails of the two leading ears were in good order when he inspected ttiem afterwards. James Herbert Grant, stationmastcr at Caversham on the morning of the accident, said I hat he saw deceased get on the guard’s van at Caversham. Deceased was unconscious when picked up and taken to Caversham station. It was usual for si ati on masters at small stations to glance along the train to see if all gates were closed. . , . Evidence was next given hy Arthur Edward Millow. stationmastcr at Green Island, who said that when it was reported to tutu that the deceased was missing he notified the stationmastcr at Caversham, and Stopped a'l 1 rains. There was no great uvayiiw of (be train whip it was —issmg through the tunnel. With ordinary care there was a minimum of danger in crossing f.-om one e-vringo to another. —To Mr doc- Tie did not think that to a man who had travelled through the tunnel a tew times, the fact of coming out of a lighted carriage on to a dark carriage platform would make much difference. He coul.l lint Rate the sneed of trains througn the Cavo-.h-m tunnel. .Tames William Dmican. actimr smmnlnvm at Cam-sham smtion. deposed that. tic found deceased about 300 yards from, the C'vei.Jiani cud of the tunnel He was lying between two sets of rads. Tnere 'vnp <i Ifp’iro wound on tho bn<?k of hoar]. Ho was pmfusolv. a tk! wns unconscious. Witness went back to (lm -JaMon and sent for the ambulance. Judging bv the position in which deceased was found he thought_ he must, have fallen off on the r-Wfcrm side of the train. It was impossible to sav whether he fell throned! B'e gate o’- through the gangway Provided th"t ordinary care was taken, witness considered that the platforms and handrails on railway carriages wore quite Albert Didownv Bradr. shunter, said that he was instructed bv the stationmaster at Burnside to assist in the searen for Gain He agreed with th o previous witness that deceased had fatten off the train on the platform side. Witness went in the ambulance with deceased to the Hos pital. In reviewing the evidence, the coroner said that, it was cr>iy a matter of specul'l- - t i how the unfortunate man fell -Tv the train. Possible, a. blow on the head which bn Ivd received a week or 10 days previous!*- bad had some effect, on him. A verdict was returned that d'-ath wns caused bv cerebral dem-ession following injuries received bv falling off a tram in the Cnverdiam tonrH on October 12.