LOCO OVERTURNS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1930, Page 3

LOCO OVERTURNS

■,_ , ■ , DRIVER FATALLY SCALDED. • i f . ■ .. ' By Telegraph—Per Press Association AUCKLAND, July 23. Scalded by steam while he was pinned beneath an overturned locomotive on the railway' line'near Mahia today at midday, Robson Mackwood, of Western Springs, received injuries from which he died y in the Auckland hospital - ! ' 7 It.- Leigh, of Pa.pakura, who Was Mackwood's companion on the engine, was also scalded and bruised, but, -after receiving medical attention, ho was able to proceed to his home’. Engaged on the duplication of the main line to Papakura,Mackwood and Leigh were operating , a locomotive which 'comprised a donkey engine geared to the wheels of the truck. A load of filling had been emptied from a rake of nine trucks on the temporary liiie, and the re•urn journey fbV another load had he fen commenced, when the engine left the rails, overturned, arid fell down the eihibankmeirtv 1 ’ Besides the driver, three of the workers were standing on the locomotive. All of them, except Mackwood, managed to jump clear, hut although Leigh avoided being pinned down, he too was caught by the esscaping steam. Mackwood was pinned by one arm beneath the engine, “’from which a fierce jet of steam played over his face and chest. In spite of the risk of scalds, the other men on the line got close to Mackwood and dug him out frorii under the engine within a fe\v minutes. Mackwood’s condition 1 was then critical. He died in the hospital eight hours later. The deceased was 42 years of age. He was married and had a family of six, all of them under ten years' of age.