TWO MEN OVERCOME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1939, Page 8

TWO MEN OVERCOME

WHILE WORKING ON GASOMETER , NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH. RESCUED BY FELLOW WORKERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) TAURANGA, This Day. While carrying out repair operations to a gasometer, the manager of the Tauranga Gas Company, Mr J. H. Garratt and his assistant, Mr Maurice Johnston, narrowly escaped death. With another assistant, Mr R. Booth, they were engaged in repairing a leak in the top of the gasometer and had removed an old patch and temporarily ,-ealed the hole. Mr Booth left to got mere material. When he returned to the top of the ladder ho found his mates unconscious and gas escaping violently. He called for help and then dragged Mr Johnston to the edge of the gasometer. Mr Charles Faulkner rushed up the ladder, grabbed Mr Garratt under the arms and carrier, him down the ladder till he was relieved by other helpers. A rope was thrown to Mr Booth, wh'o lowered Mr .Johnston to the ground. Both men were unconscious. They were rushed to hospital and are recovering. Em for Messrs Booth and Faulkner, who were slightly affected by gas, there might have been a tragedy.