FALL UNDER ENGINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 258, 1 November 1932, Page 11

FALL UNDER ENGINE

THE TAIHAPE FATALITY DRIVER'S TERRIBLE INJURIES EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST (Own Correspondent) TAIHAPE, Oct. 31. Au inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Frederick William Atkins, an engine driver, who was fatally injured in a railway accident at Taihape on Saturday evening, was held before the district coroner (Mr. W. H. Fookes), at Taihape today. Charles David Petrie, fireman, employed by the New Zealand Railway Department, said that he and deceased took charge of the engine off the north-bound express at 8.25 o’clock on Saturday evening. After coaling the engine they proceeded to the turn-table and turned the engine. Deceased then inspected the engine and instructed witness to bring it towards No. 3 road. Deceased stood on the cowcatcher on the right-hand side. Witness was in the cab. “I brought the engine as far as No. 3 points and then stopped it. Atkins got off the cowcatcher and turned the points, and then stood on the cowcatcher again on the right-hand side and instructed me to bring the engine on by means of waving his torch. I carried out his instructions and brought the engine on. It started gradually and I brought it within 10 yards of the pit. At this stage Atkins disappeared from view. 1 thought he was trying to cross over from the right-hand side of the cow-; catcher to the left. Almost immediately I heard him call out and I brought the engine to a standstill by means of the emergency brake. I jumped out of the cab ’ and found Atkins lying on his left side just clear of the road. He appeared to be seriously hurt. I asked him wnat had happened and he replied that he had slipped and couldn't get clear. Mr. Hanley was present at the time,” declared witness, who went on to state that riding on a cowcatcher and stepping from one side to the other was the usual practice. He had done it himself. When he started the engine just prior to the accident it was travelling at 4 to 5 miles per hour. The Coroner: Are there any regulations relative to riding on the cowcatcher?

Witness: There are none as far as I know’. It is the usual practice. The Coroner: Is it the practice with some engine drivers to allow their firemen to drive into the sheds? Witness it is the practice with some and not with others. There is no regulation prohibiting a fireman from driving into the locomotive sheds so long as the driver is present, as was the case on this occasion. John Hanley, engine driver at Taihape, stated in evidence that he was on duty in the railway yards at 8.40 o’clock on Saturday evening. He saw an engine coming to the pit. Atkins was standing on the front of the engine and appeared to fall in crossing from the right to the left side of the cowcatcher. Witness heard deceased call out and also heard a noise as though Atkins was being crushed by the cowcatcher. The engine pulled up within a very short distance. It was travelling at about 3 or 4 miles an hour. Deceased was conscious when witness rushed over to him.

In answer to a question Hanley said that cowcatchers are about six or nine inches above the rail. There was insufficient room for a man’s body to get under the cowcatcher. A man falling off a cowcatcher and being unable to get clear would be carried along in front of the engine. It was the usual thing for firemen acting under instructions from engine drivers to move engines into the locomotive sheds. There were steps on a cowcatcher and it was the usual practice to stand on them and also to cross from one side to the other. Deceased would probably wish to cross over from the right side to the left so as to be opposite the hydrant, where the fire is washed out.

Donald AJexander Munro, locomotive foreman at Taihape, said that he knew the track where the accident occurred. The track was in perfect condition. There was nothing in the locality in question to make the engine jerk or jump. As far as he knew’ Atkins was 43 years of age. Constable McDonnell corroborated the evidence of the previous witness in regard to the track being in good order. He stated that he had inspected the engine responsible for the fatality and could find nothing on the cowcatcher to indicate why deceased fell.

Moe Kronfeld, medical practitioner at Taihape, stated in evidence that Atkins was admitted to the Taihape hospital at about 9 p.m. on Saturday. When witness saw him he had already expired. His injuries consisted 01 very severe lacerations in the reo-ion Of the right groin. He also sustained fractures of both legs, and a crushing fracture of the right thigh. It was quite probable that Atkins had died ou the way to the hospital. The cause of death w'as shock and hemorrhage due to the injuries received.

To the Police: 1 think the injuries were due to the cowcatcher striking deceased. His injuries were such that tnere was no possible chance of his recovery. He may have died in the ambulance.

The coroner returned a verdict of accidental death and added a rider that m his opinion all the regulations were complied with and no blame was attachable to anyone.