DEATH AFTER FALL ON NEW YEAR’S EVE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18046, 5 January 1927, Page 8

DEATH AFTER FALL ON NEW YEAR’S EVE.

A verdict that death was due to a fracture of the skull was returned by the Coroner, Mr 11. P. Lawry, at Lyttelton this morning, when he held an inquest .touching on the death of Frank Robert Roder, a watersider. who died as the result of falling down a flight of stairs at the Lyttelton Fire Brigade station on New Year’s Eve. Richard Fenton, lieutenant of the Fire Brigade, said he assisted Roder down the steps shortly after 9 p.m. He was then under the influence of liquor. Roder said to him that he wanted to go down the basement. Dr B. H. Gilmour gave evidence that he examined Roder and found him suffering from a fractured skull. He took Roder to the Christchurch Hospital, where he died. Robert Carson, a foreman of the fire brigade, said that Roder was under the influence of liquor at 9 p.m. Later his attention was called to Roder, who was in a sitting position at the foot of the stairs. Witness thought that Roder was in a drunken sleep. Shortly after 11.30 p.m., deceased was placed on a stretcher and Dr Gilmour was called. The Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to a fracture of the skull.