MAN KILLED BY SLIP

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31003, 8 March 1966, Page 1

MAN KILLED BY SLIP

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, March 7. One man was killed and another escaped injury when a 40ft section of road being driven round the shore of Lake Manapouri’s Supply Bay, on the northern shore of Surprise Bay. caved in about 3.50 p.m. today, carrying the two men and a big bulldozer into the lake.

The dead man was: John Alexander Fowler, aged. 36. of Manapouri. and ! formerly of Gore. His body had not been I found in the deep, murky I waters created by the slip late tonight. Mr Fowler, with others, was' employed in driving a road ; and clearing an area of lake' shore, where a wharf will be built for barges and launches carrying equipment and staff to and from the Manapouri underground powerhouse contract works at West Arm.

The bulldozer was shifting rocks with a rope, and Mr Fowler was standing near the water’s edge when several thousand tons of apparently solid rock disappeared into the lake, carrying everything with it. The bulldozer driver came to the surface and swam to the shore unhurt, but Mr I Fowler disappeared. The driver, whose name was not available tonight, told Constable E. Donnelly, of Te Anau. that the falling rock pushed his bulldozer well into the lake.

A Manapouri skin-diver. Mr j J. McGee, found the bulldozer ‘ in about 30 feet of muddy I water. At that point previously there had been only about 18 inches of water Constable Donnelly said a■ further search, for Mr Fowler’s body would be made tomorrow. It was hoped the water would have cleared by morning.