THE ACCIDENT AT THE TUNNEL

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2648, 2 July 1889, Page 2

THE ACCIDENT AT THE TUNNEL

l>ol >l>Y, Hie man who was injured, was brought down d> Te Awamulu willioul. delay, lie is not so seriously injured as was reported at lirst. Tlio lirst report was that lie was buried to the neck, and that his head waa twisted round, and it was impossible to get it into place again, that he was in a stale of insensibility for a long time, and that ho had to be dusi out. The fact is that he was struck on the head by a beam which rendered him insensibio for a time , . When he fell he fell with his face in some water, and when coining round—which he soon did—the water of course prevented his breathing, he then got up on his hands and knees to clear his face. While in that position he felt his head--mi which there was a large .-cdp wound—to lind out if his skull was fractured, he then managed to crawl out towards the light which some, men brought on hearing the sound uf filling limber. On lirst cumins to he found the tunnel in total d irkncs-i, for the concision extinguished all the lights. He shoute.l, and getting no reply, thought lie was the only surviv ir of tboso working in the vi-.inity of the flip. Ue-ides himself two othc men, Harrison and Sullivan, escaped with their live?. Harrison was standing on a sill, and only escaped by having presence of mind enough to drop under it, and- so \.-aa saved from being crushed by the falling timber. At the time of tho slip the iik-u were engaged in putting iiii timbers to shore the roof. A slip occurred in front, and the earth in falling knocked an upright out, other supports ' gave way, und a great deal of the timbering camo down. JJoddy called out to SulhviUi and the others, and turned to make his escape after warning them, and as he turned was struck down. Sullivan had a rail in his hands holding up some of tho pieces that were being put in on the roof, this was struck, and the end tilting up, 'hoisted him into tho heading, from which he fell down again a distance of seven or eight feet to the Hour. J3emg thrown up in that way saved his life, he was only slitrlitly hurt in falling. Connell was killed instantly by some very heavy timber which fell on his back'. Both legs, it is said, were broken and one shoulder dislocated. Duddy says the slip was unavoidable and did not occur through carelessness, and that no one is to blame. When the report was first circulated, men who had been there said there were complaints of the unsafe state of. tho works, while Doddy on the other hand asserts that no one is to blame. It appear* the men had contracts lor the work, and they state that it was to their interest to see that everything was safe. He has so far recovered as to be able to -it by the lire in Mr r'orbe's I Intel here, where he is stopping for a day or two, and is being attended by Dr. I'air'nii.in. The accident occurred at midnight on Wednesday.

Tivi Inquest. M» l.'rcs'iain, Hi -.trie!, eonmer, arrived at tliu tiinnc! :it I:. , 'limn on Satin any, having passed .I'liday iii:.:ht at Te Kuiti. From Uih evidence "au'.iueed at tho inquest it ;i)>pc:irs that tho iittal occurrence could not have linen f'U-seen. The coroner diiectod that the live males of deceased should totlifi' act as jiu-y.non or as «'t-ne-si's. They i\'d cxpie.-i.-,rd thenisclvus satisfied that" the timbering «as perfectly sound, and that all ivusoiinble cure was tak.m' t.o sruar.l agaius!. accident, The fallinsf in of a portion of tin- tunnel was attributable to tin- recent lle:ny rams. A vr>r.i;cl in accordance Willi (lie evidence was lv.tiinied, e\i>neiatii'g the coiaraotor, Mr ljrilton, from any blame. MrWin North of To Awannitu, was torcnian of the jury. The dcce:is(Kl leaves a widow and sovuii children, all resident in Auckland.