COBDEN FATALITY

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1930, Page 6

COBDEN FATALITY

QUARRYMAN KILLED. (Grey Argus.) Caught by a fall of stone, a workman named Richard Comerford, was yesterday killed at the Cobden quarry. The fatality occurred shortly before three o’clock and in view of a number of persons who were passing a the time. Four men, Messrs llowclifi', Cairuoy, Williams and the deceased were working at the face some 250 feet above the base of the quarry, where, using a shot-firing battery, Rowclill fired three shots under a large boulder. Williams and Cairuey meantime had retired above for safety to a shelf of rock, where they saw the whole face moving, the shots bringing down much more material than had been expected. Witness shouted to the other two men to come up on the shelf and while Rowcliff barely made the shelf in time, the deceased, as he was taking the last step to safety was caught, by the moving mass, engulfed, and buried underneath a great quantity of rock.

The accident happened with startling suddenness, and it was impossible for the unfortunate man to be rescued. Another man named Rawcliff, had a narrow escape from meeting the same fate, lie just scrambling on to the remaining portion of tbe shelf as the advancing slide brushed his legs. Work was started immediately to extricate Comerford, and three quarters of an hour later this was accomplished;- Death must have been instantaneous, as bis head was crushed, and Ids ribs were penetrating, bis lungs. He watj conveyed to the morgue and an inquest will be held next

-week. For the remainder of the afternoon there was .no work carried on by. the men. The deceased was a. married man with two children, the eldest being twelve, and the other six. He was a son of Mr E. Comerford, a. well-known resident of the West Coast, who resides at Nelson Creek. He had been working at the quarry for about four years, and his quiet and unassuming personality had earned him the respect of his fellow workers. Previously he was a member of the Wateraiders' Union. .Mrs Comerford is a member of the Myndman family, formerly of Kumara district. The theory is advanced that the: quarry has been weakened by the earthquake of June, 1929, and as a result, slips are liable to occur when-; over a. shot is fired. As it is now, there are a number of rocks balancing precariously where yesterday’s slip happened, that appear likely to come lown at any moment.