ESCAPE OF GAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1939, Page 9

ESCAPE OF GAS

CHRISTCHURCH RESIDENT SUES COMPANY. ALLEGATION OF NEGLIGENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. January 24. How his wife, five children and himself were affected by gas poisoning was related in the Magistrate’s Court today by Albert Johannsen, who sued the Christchurch Gas Co. for £29 damages. Johannsen said he had been awakened by his wife falling on the floor and all the family had been sick as the result of gas poisoning. Plaintiff alleged that the escape of gas was duo to negligence by servants of the company. Johannsen, in evidence, said that on August 11 last a gas stove had been installed by an employee of the gas company and in the early hours the next morning he was awaken by his wife falling. All the children and he himself were affected. His wife and two children had been admitted to hospital but had been discharged within forty-eight hours. When a gas company employee repaired the pipe witness noticed that it .was rusty. Counsel for the defence said the company was liable for an escape of gas but the liability was limited to negligence on the part of the company. The defence claimed that there had been contributory negligence on the part of plaintiff, as evidence would be called to show that the gas company employees had not installed the cooker but that outside workmen must have done it. Plaintiff had smelt gas the night before but had not telephoned the gas company until eight o'clock the next morning. The case is proceeding.