FIREMAN'S EXPERIENCE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 8, 10 July 1923, Page 7

FIREMAN'S EXPERIENCE

SCALDED, FROZEN, AND HELP-

LESS.

(BIT TELEQRAPH.—PHSSS ASSOCIATION .}

TAUMARUNUI, 9th July. The injured fireman, Campbell,.' is twenty-seven years old, and served three years at the war, and since then has spent about six years in the railway service. His brother, from Pahnerston North, interviewed him on Sunday, and was given the following account of the accident:— ■

" The engine was running down' the incline with steam Ehut off, and he was sitting down with his arm.' resting on the sill of the cab. on the left side, when he saw something flash past the engine. This, he thinks, was a boulder. When tha engine fell over on 1 its side, his coat was caught between the, engine and the rock, and he was pinned'-down. The steam, injector was broken in the smash, arid' one end of the pipe was turned 'towards his body, scalding him all the time he struggled hard to free himself, and felt the driver pulling hard at him. The driver, however, could not see him For steam, and.he thought he was pulling in the wrong 'direction. The fireman once more made a struggle, and ahnost gave himself up for lost, when an extra wriggle freed him from the ' engine. When he got out of the cab he. had to walk in icy cold water as far as the postal, van. His boots became filled with water, and his feet began to freeze. He felt done, and Called for help. ' Eventually someone came .and found him ly-~ ing in. the wet and frost. . His boots were then removed, and his feet were rubbed'for some time before circulation was restored. He felt that his end had come while lying 'unattended in the frost."

Campbell's injuries are all on his right side. He is very badly scalded from his. right eye to the back of the ear and on other parts of his body. He has also bad cuts on his nose and on one ear.