STEAM BURST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 75, 26 February 1918, Page 3

STEAM BURST.

TWO KILLED, ONE INJURED AT

BATHURST.

A tragic accident occurred at Bath urst (N..5.W.) railway workshops on the 12th inst., resulting in the death of two men and the serious injury of a third. The victims are:—

Charies Bradley (45), foremen fitter, killed. Walter Hochkins (10), fitter's laborer killed.

George Tooby 28), fitter's laborer, seriously injured. ' / Just outside the 'colomotive shed four men, including the three abovementioned, and Harry Foss, were 1 forcing hack a cross-htful on an engine with two iron bars, in order to couple the connecting rod with the driving wheel,.when steam, which had evidently escaped through the regulator valve jnto the cylinder, wjth tremendous force, shot the piston-rod backswung the. lever bar in the opposite direction.. The upper bar, which was about two inches in diameter and sixfeet long, struck Bradley and Hochkins on the head, Tooby in the chest, and just grazed Foss's arm. Hochkin's death was instantaneous. Bradley was hurled against another engine, falling oh his face, and did not speak again. Tooby, who was standing al-. most upright- was struck on the chest; with, suqliJtforce that several of his ribs were broken, and he also sustained serious internal injuries. He also had two fingers of his left hand almost severed through being caught between the two bars.

Hochkins, who liveu in South Bathurst leaves a wife and six children. Bradley's marriage to a Bathurst lady had been arranged for the following week, after which he was expecting promotion and transfer to Sydney. He was 45 years old, and had been in the department for many years. He was for a long time sports secretary of the local Eight-hour movement, and was also well-known in social and musical circles. He was a widower, and leaves fcne daughter, aged 23. Tooby is about 28, unmarried, and lives in Bathurst.