BURIED ALIVE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20719, 1 February 1939, Page 8

BURIED ALIVE

QUARRYMAN’S DEATH VERDICT AT INQUEST EVIDENCE OF WORK-MATES The evidence of fellow employees of Cyril John Rumney (29), labourer, of Melville, who met his death when he was overwhelmed by a fall of sand at Maisey’s sandpit, Whatawhata, on January 16, was given at the resumed inquest in the Hamilton magistrate’s rooms this morning when the coroner, Mr 'F. W. Platts, returned a verdict of accidental death. According to the evidence, stated the coroner, no blame was attachable to anyone. James Harold Murchie, a labourer employed by Messrs W. S. Goosman and Company, contractors, who was working with Rumney at the time of the accident, stated that after the fall of sand he saw a fellow-employee, Newport, buried up to the neck, but he could see no sign of Rumney. When they had dragged Bumney out he could see that he was dead. Prior to the fall he was standing on a truck which the deceased and two other men were loading. Witness had been struck on the back by the fall of sand. The face of the cliff was 12 feet high and practically perpendicular. Witness did not consider the pit was dangerous. Although lie himself was on top of the truck he was almost completely buried. The working of the pit in his opinion was safe. In reply to Mr H. C. M. -Norris, who represented the widow, witness stated that, except for a stripping at the top, the face that came away was composed of sand. No Negligence Evident The face of the pit was worked by a method which could be considered reasonably safe, stated Reginald H. Schoen, of Huntly, inspector of quarries, who inspected the pit on January 17. He did not think negligence was involved. The height of the face was 19 feet and the fall was due to a soft layer of sand at the bottom of the portion that fell, approximately 9 cubio feet of sand falling. David Neil Newport, a truck-driver, said Rumney was working close to the face of the pit when it fell. It was five minutes before Rumney was dragged, out of the sand and he then appeared to be dead. Evidence was also given by Jack Lewis Young, who was working in the quarry at the time of the tragedy. “The verdict will be that the unfortunate man was accidentally killed by a fall of sand at a sandpit in Whatawhata,” remarked the Coroner. "According to the evidence no blame is attachable to anyone. The pit in which deceased was working was apparently safe and we have the evidence of the inspector of quarries that the method of working was reasonably safe and that no negligence was involved.”