FATAL ACCIDENT AT BIG HILL TUNNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3019, 24 January 1912, Page 37

FATAL ACCIDENT AT BIG HILL TUNNEL.

A fatal accident occurred in the cutting on the Beaumont end of the Big Hill tunnel on Thursday afternoon, about 5 o’clock. The victim was Thomas Reilly, aged 56 years. So far few particulars are available, bus from what can be gathered It appears he was employed tamping a hole in preparation fo t ' a blast when suddenly the charge exploded, the rod which he was using being forced through the upper part of ( hiS head. The injured man was immediately taken into the Tuapeka Hospital, but died immediately on admission. An inquest will bo held to-day. Reilly had been employed at the railway works for a number of years, coming from Otago Central shortly after the Lawrence-Rox-faurgh railway works were opened. H<* leaves a widow, but no children. THE INQUEST. An inquiry into the circumstances connected with the death of Thomas Reilly, which occurred on Thursday evening ae the result of a blasting accident in the railway cutting beyond the Big Hill, on the Law-rence-Koxburgh railway works, was held at the Tuapt'ka Hospital on Saturday morning before Mr Thomas Pilling,-x«T.P. f acting coroner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr J. Novrie was chosen foreman.

Constable Coppell conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police. Mr R. C. Mooro ' appeared on behalf of Mrs Reilly, and Mr • James M’Keich, public works Overseer, was present on behalf of the department. Charles (Javanagh, one of the gang of which deceased was a member, gave evidence of identification. On the afternoon . of the 18th inst. he was employed with deceased' in the cutting on the Beaumont side of Big Hill. About 4 o’clock Rcillv, who was in charge, went out on to tho bank to put down a hole for a allot. After he had put the hole down he asked witness tho time, to fee whether he had time to shoot it before knocking off. Witness re- j plied that it was 23 minutes to 5, and deceased replied that ho had plenty of time. Shortly after this witness heard tho report of tho shot, which was usually put in before the full charge was fired. As deceased had given no warning, as he usually did, witness thought there was something' wrong, and ran up the bank and sai* deceased lying, on his face. He did not fee any injuries, but knew he was hurt, and immediately telephoned for the doctor, W itness did not inform the overseer. .In reply to Mr Moore, witness said ho had no experience of blasting work. Reilly had had charge of it. Dr Sutherland deposed that deceased was brought into the hospital about 7.45 on J.hursday evening, and died three-quarters of an hour after udmiwion, death being due tq extensive injuries of the brain. The bone was fractured and perforated on the right side of the forehead, and a deep wound extended for about live inches through tho brain. From this the piece of stick produced was extracted. Tho wound could not be other than fatal.

George Birss, a boy 12 years of ago, said he was 'with Reiily on the top of the cutting. _ When he arrived the deceased was cleaning out a hoi© beforo firing a shot. When deceased had finished cleaning the hole ho’ went to the magazine anti brought back some fuse, caps, gelignite, and raokaiock. He then cut a short piece of fuse about a foot in length, put a cap on, and inserted it in half a plug of gelignite. He then lit the fuse, and put it in the hole, pressing it down with the tamping rod. The shot did not go off and deceased remarked, “I think the blooming thing has gone out.” Deceased, after waiting a few minutes, cut another short piece of fuse (about nine inches), inserted it in a full plug of gelignite, and put it in th< hole, using the tamping rod as in the first instance to {iress it down. The ehot weak off before lie had withdrawn the rod. With the explosion the rod flew out and struck deceased, ,vho waa leaning over the hole, over the eye. Deceased fell down and rolled over twice, and witness saw he was bleeding from his iicad. It took deceased longer to put in the s-econd charge than tha first.

George Courtier, a member of the party ■with whom deceased worked, deposed that deceased, who had charge of the blasting, went out on the bank at about 4.30 on Thursday afternoon to put down a hole for a shot. The depth of tho cutting wajj about 12 feet. Witness thought it was about" ti quarter to 5 when lie beard the shot go off. lie heard a sort of moaning, and ran up the hatter, and saw deceased lying on his right side about 10ft away from th* hole’. There was a piece of wood projecting from his forehead. Witness pulled Iho s tic4 out, and Cavanagh went to ring up Ilia doctor. Witness had no idea what caused the premature explosion. He had worked with deceased for aoout six months*. Up to about two months ago M'Dowall had charge of the blasting, but on his leaving deceased took charge of this work. Witness thought deceased thoroughly understood the work, and, so far as ho could judge, was a careful man in the handling of explosives. Ho did not know whether Reilly had received instructions as to the procedure in tha case of misfires. fc . To Mr M‘Keith : He was not aware who put Reilly in charge of the work. He had toon Reilly charging holes previous to Thursday, and did not think he look any unnecessary risks. In “bulling” a hole deceased generally used about 20 inches of fuse. .fames M'Ksioh, overseer, the Publi« Works . Department, deposed that he was in charge of the Beaumont section of the 1, a w rente - Rox burgh railway. On Thursday evening he was called away from the tunnel to an accident which had happened in one of the cuttings. When he got to the seen® he found the deceased lying on the bank bleeding from a severe wound on the head. On inquiry witness was told tiho accident had happened through a charge going oft prematurely. The custom in “bulling” a hole was to cut a primer about 13 inches long, and after lighting or spitting it, to drop it down tihe hole. It was not necessary to use a tamping rod to press it down, but it was customary for men doing this Work to ueo the rod. From the evidence of the boy Birsc, witness was of th-j opinion that deceased had not allowed sufficient time to elapse before putting in tha second charge. _ It was possible, however, that the explosion had occurred either through tho friction of the tamping rod, or through the short length of fuse used. There were no regulations against using the tamping rod in charging a hole. Ha had known the deceased for a number oi yiiars, and always found him a careful man in the handling of explosives. To Mr Moore: It was a common nractie*

to use a short fuse in “ bulling ” hole*. ' On a previous occasion about five weeks u? tlw use a fuse of about 1 K 'aches The slope of the hole would to about" nine inches to the foot, wouiu o . , i , .l work* as to Notices were P«t«J atot the precautions to ne taken and firing of expires. of a gang was supposed to have a know ledge of this woik. . n• a re . The acting coroner ha .mg br-efiy re viewed the evidence the jmv verdict of Accidental death, no blame hetng attachable to anyone. I