Shocking Fatality.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXIV, Issue 3785, 19 May 1908, Page 2

Shocking Fatality.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Waihi, Last Night.

A fatal accident occurred in the Grand Junction Co.'s engine room early this morning, as the result of which a young man named F. Mahon, a brakeman, was killed almost instantaneously. It appears that Mahon was having crib at 4.30 a.m., in the air compressor room adjoining the main shaft, the machinery during crib time being stopped for oiling up. Between two large wheels is the mam crank, and in order to get the crank over the centre upon resumption of work, it is usual for the engineer in starting the machinery to give the wheels an ease up. When the enigneer proceeded to do this Mahon was sitting down near by, and, as the engineer was moving the wheel, deceased must have gone to the opposite wheel to assist.

How the accident happened no one knows, but Mahon was dragged over by the wheel into the recess that receives the large crank. He was first bumped against the other part of the machinery, and then fell stunned into the recess, so that when the crank came down he was simply smashed up by the heavy blow. The machinery was brought to a standstill in a moment, but life was quite extinct. An inquiry is to be held. Deceased was single, about 21 years of age, and had a widowed mother residing at Drury.