FATAL ACCIDENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 34

FATAL ACCIDENT.

ONE MAX KILLED AND OTHERS INJURED. A heavy fall of earth took place at 9.30 a.m. on July 25 at the excavation works in connection with the Presbyterian Theological College at the rear of Mr R. Glendining's property, North-East Valley, whereby a man named William .\Brown was killed outright, and another man named Stephen Whelan somewhat seriously injured. Eleven men were engaged working on a face about 20ft long and about Bft or 9ft high, and without any warning about 10ft or 12ft of it came away, meaning a fall of two or three tons of earth. Brown, who was working close to the face, was thrown on his face and almost completely covered by the fallen debris, his head alone projecting. When the unfortunate man was extricated it was found that he was quite dead, with a long and deep gash on his throat extending down the neck, from which blood flowed profusely. A broken shovel was lying alongside his body, and it is surmised that he was violently thrown on the blade of the shovel and that it penetrated his neck. Whelan had also to be extricated, and it was found that he had received a heavy blow on the base of the back of the neck. Brown's body was placed in the shed on the ground, and* subsequently removed to the Mor- -ue. Whelan was conveyed to the Hospital in the ambulance van, and now lies- there. Another man named Edward Fahey, who was working at the face, received a slight injury to his leg, while in the excitement of the moment a horse attached to a loaded dray took fright and .knocked down a man named Mcc, who, although the dray is said to have gone over his leg, escaped injury. At the time of the fall the men were just on the point of suspending work owing to the rain. ' The cause of the fall of earth is ascribed I to what is known as a "greasy back,"- or, i in other words, a faulty seam at the rear of the face, into which the rain had found j its way and either loosened the earth or [ forced the face out. The face had been I undercut to the extent of about lOin or 12in. The contractors for the excavation work i are Messrs Hammond and Cursey, who | were both on the ground at the time of the fall. The work has been in progi'ess since May last, and it is stated that the usual precautions have been observed throughout. The face was not in any way considered a dangerous one, and the fall was as unexpected as the results were disastrous. Seen by a Times reporter in the evening, Mr Hammond stated that it had been decided at 9 o'clock in the morning, when rain set in, to continue working for half an hour. At 26 minutes past 9 ho turned to ask one of the men^the time, and then, on looking in the direction of the face, saw that a fall had occurred, and that the other workmen were engaged in extricating Whelan. When that was accomplished it vas found that Whelan had received a heavy blow on the back of the nock, and, though quite conscious, he appeared to be seriously injured. In the meantime attention had been turned to Brown, whose body was completely covered, with "part of his head alone projecting. He was lying face downwards, showed no movement whatever, and appeared to be quite dead. Aboutthree tons of earth came down, including two very large pieces. Everything that was possible was done, and the ambulance and a doctor were immediately telephoned for. The face showed no signs whatever of fault, and was considered perfectly safe to work under. Brown was one of the first men engaged on the work. He was a single man, 32 3-ears of age, and had his mother dependent upon him. The inquest was held on the 30th before Mr C. C. Graham, coroner, and a jury of six. The evidence went to show that on mevious occasions it took six or seven men on top to force the face away. No danger was anticipated when the slip occurred. The jury without hesitation *>- turned a verdict that death was due to pure accident, and that no blame was attachable to anyone. Brown was the sole support of his widowed mother, who has within 18 months lost, as the result of accident, two eons and her second husband.