BURIED IN PHOSPHATE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1071, 8 September 1930, Page 1

BURIED IN PHOSPHATE

MAN SUFFOCATED AT WESTFIELD i FRANTIC RESCUE EFFORTS FAIL FRANTIC, but vain, rescue efforts were made by fellowemployees to save William Cowell, an employee of Xempthorne Prosser’s chemical works, Westfield, who was buried in bin beneath several tons of ground phosphate early this afternoon. The man died through suffocation.

Peculiar sounds coming from beneath the surface of 30 or 40 tons of phosphate in the bin were the first indication that anything was amiss and every effort was made to dig Mr. Cowell out in time to save his life. When he was extricated from the bin he was found to be dead, and Dr. A. N. Ross, of Otahuhu, who had been hastily summoned to the works, said death was due to suffocation.

Nobody saw Mr. Cowell in the bin, but it is understood that it has been the practice for men to climb down into the bin in order to feed the phosphate into the hopper. It is presumed that Mr. Cowell had been overwhelmed by a quantity of phosphate being shot into the bin on top of him. Mr. Cowell, aged 62, lived at 46 Wellpark Avenue, Grey Lynn, and had been employed at Kempthorne Prosser’s works for 15 years. An inquest is to be opened before Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., at Otahuhu this afternoon, when evidence of identification will be given by Mr. Eric

Cowell, a son of Mr. Wiliam Cowell, who is also employed at the works. Ground phosphate is in the form of a fine powder. WORK SUSPENDED

All work was suspended at Kempthorne Prosser’s premises when it was discovered that Mr. Cowell was dead. As so<*n as a foreman was told of the peculiar noises heard in the bin he stopped the machinery and rescue efforts were commenced. Part of the bin was cut away in an attempt to run the phosphate out rapidly, but it was three-quarters of an hour before the body was recovered.