AN OTIRA FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2593, 15 October 1915, Page 6

AN OTIRA FATALITY

ELDERLY MAN KILLED—ANOTHER INJURED. : Two accidents, one of which was immediately fatal, occurred at the Otira tumiel 011 Tuesday morning (reports the Christclmrch .VSun"), r John Byrne, aged about 60, was killed through being crushed between an electric motor and the Trail of the tunnel. The-deceased, who was sent to unload shingle.; at- a concrete mixer," had been in a man-hole, and stepped out in front of the electric motor. The motorman called out, but Byrne did not hear him, owing to the noise of the mixer. He was crushed between the motor and the concrete wall of the tunnel. He was at:once conveyed to the hospital, where Dr. Cairns made au examination, and found him dead. Byrne had been working in the tunnel only for a_ few weeks. Ho leaves a widow arid thirteen children at Stafford."

Shortly after 6 a.m. oa tha same day, J. Chalmers, who was working at' the Bealey end of the tunnel, received injuries from a fall of earth that necessitated his removal to the Christchurch Hospital. Ohalmer» was detached from the other workers, when a fall of earth took place near him. In an endeavour to escape it he leaned towards the wall,' but another fall occurred, and covered' him from the chest down. 'His mates got him out, and found that he waa-' suffering from internal injuries, and that his left arm and right side were hurt. At the Christchurch Hospital it was found he had suffered a fractured pelvis, and it was deemed necessary to operate. Chalmers has a wifo. and fohr children.