Drainage Board Thanks Rescuers

Press, Volume C, Issue 29515, 17 May 1961, Page 17

Drainage Board Thanks Rescuers

A 16-year-old schoolboy, Brent Walker, and an M.E.D. foreman, Mr E. K. Dickey, who saved the life of Mr R. C. Gosden, a leading hand on the board's flushing staff when he was overcome by gas last month, were met by the Christchurch Drainage Board last evening and thanked for their prompt rescue and resuscitation. Mr F. R. Price, the chairman. presented Mr Dickey with a watch and Brent Walker with an electric razor and praised this quick thinking which had saved Mr Gosden’s life. Engineer’s Report Reporting on the accident. Mr H. F. Page, the chief engineer (operations), said Mr Gosden had been instructed to clear a 9in stormwater pipe which was probably blocked by debris from channel sumps. He was accompanied by Mr S. Hills, an assistant. The blockage was within a few feet of a manhole near the Nicholls street intersection. but Mr Gosden attempted to clean it from a manhole at the corner of North Avon road and McLeod street, about 300 ft downstream.

He said that he was aware of a smell of gas on lifting the manhole lid, but apart from waiting for a time made no other effort to ventilate the manhole. When he stood up in the manhole with his head above the ground level he felt the effect of the gas for the first time. He then collapsed. Mr Hills stopped Mr Dickey and they managed to get Mr Gosden out of the manhole, after which Brent Walker applied mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, which Mr Page said no doubt saved Mr Gosden’s life, A third man should have been in the gang, Mr Page said. One had been available immediately before the job but he understood Mr Gosden had told him he would not be . required. A harness was available on the truck. The blockage could have been cleared from the up- ! stream manhole from the sur- . face. The recognised presence of ! gas should have warned the ! party, and no risk should , have been taken. Mr Page I continued Gas in Sewer It was understood that a • gas leak had been repaired near the upstream manhole It was not apparent how the coal gas entered the sewer, but it was possible that the water ponded above the blockage became saturated with gas which. when released together with the gas *n 300 ft of sewer. Caused Mr Goren’s collapse. , “Had the board’s safety rules been adhered to. the accident would not have occurred, as a gas indicator j apart from the smell, would , have indicated the danger." M- Page said. ’ The board agreed that Mr j Gosden should be reprij mended for not observing the j safety regulations; that in- . structions should be issued to i all foremen and leading hands on the importance of observas *ion of the rules; and that anv ’ further breaches would be e viewed very seriously.