BURNSIDE RAILWAY FATALITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19513, 23 June 1925, Page 4

BURNSIDE RAILWAY FATALITY.

INQUEST ON VICTIM. WORKING CONDITIONS SAID TO BE FAULTY. LIGHTING SYSTEM INADEQUATE. Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., sitting as coroner, the inquest on the body of Frederick A. J. Benfell, aged 38 years, who was tho victim of a shunting accident at Burnside on the night of June 12, was continued yesterday morning in tho Magistrate’s Court. The deceased was a married man, and leaves eight children. Mr H. E. Barrovvclough appeared for the relatives, Mr M. Connolly for the Amalgamated Society of Railway servants, Mr J. Egan for the Railway Department, and Sub-inspector CVHalloran for tho police. Dr C. S. Murray, of Caversham, said that he was called to the scene of the accident about 9.50 p.m. He found deceased lying on the verandah of a building. _ Ho was apparently then dying. He examined deceased and found thor© was a fracture of the right foot and ankle, but no other signs' of gross external injuries. In the opinion, of witness death was due to -1 1 cv k and internal injuries. He at once ordered the removal of deceased, who was unconscious, to the Dunedin Hospital. Dr Iverach, assistant medical officer at the Hospital, said he saw deceased immediately he was brought into the institution at 11 p.m. Benfell was dead when he reached tho Hospital. itness agreed with Dr Murray as to tho cause of death. Kenneth Livingstone, engine-driver, said ho was in charge of an engine at Burnside on the night of June 12. Deceased was working with him as shunter. The engine left the yard with 12 wagons of stock and pulled into the top end of the freezing works siding. On receiving a signal they went back, the brakes being put j on by the shunter. After uncoupling the engine from the wagons deceased came along and gave witness a signal to move out. Witness was on the look-out, and noticed that a wagon on the next siding was too close. The brakes were immediately applied, and witness heard deceased call out to stop. Witness stepped down from the engine and found deceased pinned beneath the tank of the engine and the W wagon. Deceased’s legs were caught between tho engine and the wagon. The wagon was jacked up, and deceased released. Assistance was obtained from tho freezing works, and deceased was taken away to await the arrival of the doctor. A high wagon pushed in front of the engine obscured its light. In reply to a question by the coroner, witness said it was the shunter’s duty to attend to the points. In reply to Mr Connolly, witness said . deceased was riding on the fireman’s side of the engine. There were no lights shining on the points to draw the attention of the shunter to the fact that they were lying wrong. If the points were lying wrong going in, tho movement of tho points lever as the trucks passed over would have been noticeable had the lighting been sufficient. Coming out to the main line they would be travelling from eight to 10 miles an hour. The one light on the freezing works siding did not show on the points, as six wagons were standing between tho light and the points. Had the department supplied suitable lighting witness thought he would have had a reasonable chance of detecting that the points were wrong. He knew of nothing to prevent the pushing of £1 wagon ahead of tho engine in shunting. Had the lighting been good enough witness would certainly have seen the “foal’’ wagon at least a length sooner than he? I did. From the time he noticed the obstruction until he shopped he travelled ab'dut 28ft. Had he pulled up about a length sooner deceased would not have been struck. With the provision of lights in the yard he thought there would have been a (reasonable chance of avoiding the accident. Witness, in reply to a question by Mr Borrow'dough, said it was the usual thing fot: ihe points to be set to run on to the main line. The lever of the points was cF a dirty white colour. It was a dark night, and the fact that the lever was dirty would ,make it less easily visible. He did not know who left the six wagons in the petition they were in, but they fouled the main line by 2im He had experience of shunting in the yards. Frederick Rae, fireman on the engine, said they left the lower yard and the engine pushed 12■ wagons of stock to the freezing works siding, where witness received the stop signal from the shunter. The shunter then went, to the other side and put down the hand brakes on the wagons. They then proceeded to the top end of the yard. When near the W wagons witness could not see plainly, as it was too far from his side, and an L wagon coupled to The rear of tho engine obscured his view. Witness_ was told by the engine-driver of th© accident, and went for assistance. It was a wet, dark night. The yards were badly lighted. In reply to the Sub-inspector, witness said he could not say why the L wagon was being pushed by the engine. The * shunter had coupled it there. Replying to a question by Mr Egan, witness said the yard was unlighted at tho top end. Replying to Mr Connelly, witness said that when going from the old main line to the freezing works yards, the shunter would be riding on the front of the wagon. Witness was of the opinion that if the points’ lever was painted white it would have attracted the shunter’s attention. Kad there been a suitable light the shunter could not have failed to notice the points, and witness would have seen them himself. Had witness seen the points were set wrongly he would have drawn the attention, of the driver to the fact. Witness knew of no rule to prevent a shnnter having a wagon pushed ahead of the engine. It was commonly done. In reply to Mr Barrowclougli. witness said that if they were not allowed to push a wagon, they might have to travel miles around to get in front of It. There wore no lights beyond the freezing works lights to shine on the yards. In reply to the coroner, witness said that the lights at the freezing works were of tho same power used in ordinary house lights. John Thompson Turnbull, shunter, said that he assisted in the removal of deceased’s body. Benfell asked witness not to allow the engine driver to lot the wagon down, as it would take his legs off. The experience Of witness was that the points were always lying to tho main line. The points must have been shifted that night. There were only tho lights from tho freezing works to work under. In reply to Mr Connolly, witness said that no lights at all wore provided by the Railway Department in the yard. Witness asked for a light about 12 months ago. He thought all the shunters had asked for the provision of lights. Witness asked the slationmaster, who agreed that lights were necessary. None, however, had been supplied. The freezing works’ lights were not for the convenience of shunters, but for the unloading of stock. The lights were turned off after the stock was unloaded. The wagons obscured what light did come from the freezing works’ lights. Witness remembered an engine being derailed at the points over 12 months ago; it was because the points were lying at “half-cock.” Tho work at Burnside warranted an assistant shunter, and such a request had been made. The lever of the points was practically black in colour. The levers were now being painted white. He dll not know What deceased would have to do to go near the points, which were wrongly set; William Franklin Bennett, stationmuster at Burnside, said deceased had been released- when he readied the scene of the iiejcldeilt. Witness accompanied deceased to the hospital. BenfeM died on the way. These ’were three lights of the Freezing Company not fur from the scene of the accident. On one night of the week there was a necessity for an assistant shunter. There was one supplied on Tuesday nights. :* lir. reply to Mr Connelly, witness said that 6ne of the three lights he had mentioned was 60yds from the points, and tho Other two were further away. In ordinary Circumstances these two lights were of value to the shunters. At the time of the Occident they were of no value whatever. Witness had been approached by ijhuntcTS for lights in the yard, and had Agreed that lights were necessary on Stock nights. 1 In reply to Mr Barrowclougli, witness Said he thought it would be desirable to hare more lights. Edward Mason, veterinary surgeon, said that he was called to the scene of the accident to give assistance, and accompanied deceased to the hospital. George Mason, engineer at the freezing Works, said the light on the post nearest tb the yard was .‘!2 candle-power. It was for the convenience of their own men coming to work. Replying to Mr Council}*, witness said

Ills wife rang for the doctor. He thought the lighting was inadequate for the work carried on.

1 humid Kilpatrick, shunter, who was called by Mr Connelly, said that on several occasions he had asked the department to supply lights. About three months ago the electric line -inspector was out at Burnside, and told witness (lint three j lights were being provided. 'Witness had i suggested that one light should bo provided at the scene of the accident. |

Mr Egan said t lie department had a scheme in hand for improved lighting at various stations throughout New Zealand. They would be litted up in connection with their importance. llurnside was on the list, and would he supplied with better lighting. The Coroner said the unfortunate fatality was caused by an unfortunate combination of events. The points being wrongly set, the engine and waggons were diverted on to the wrong line. That resulted in the engine being brought into contact with some six wagons which were leading down from the Refrigerating Company’s siding, and which overlapped and fouled the way. The engine was pushing a wagon ahead, and did not throw any light on the line. There was practically no lighting in the yard. There was, lighting from the freezing works, hut. it was ineffective. The conditions of work had been criticised in several respects. It appeared to him that the conditions were faulty and were more dangerous than they should have been in several respects. No doubt shunting was always dangerous, and so the working conditions should be made as safe as was reasonably practicable and possible. In the present case the cross-over points had 1 for some unexplained reason been set in the wrong position. There w’as no evidence, however, to show who was responsible or whether there was any interference. Then there was the fact that the lever of the points was not- painted w T hito, making it not so visible to the shunter. That was a weakness about the position. Then there was the evidence that the lighting was bad, and the combination of these two weaknesses, with the fact that the engine s light was obscured by the truck ahead, led to the engine being pulled up too late. Mention had been made that an assistant shunter was necessary, . but. that was a matter for the responsible officers of the ■department to deal with. He noted that proper lighting was now to be provided at Burnside. All he would say in regard to that was “the sooner the better.” It was unfortunate that, with the unlimited supply of power and the cheapness of lights, some had not been provided to make the conditions of work safer. The verdict would be that death was caused by Infernal injuries .received through deceased having been accidentally crushed while shunting at Burnside yards.