Mr Sydney Woods, an electrical engineer engaged at the Bealey end of the Otira tunnel works, met with a distressing accident yesterday morning. By a mishap he managed to get his arm caught in the cog wheels of the machinery in the tunnel, with the result that the arm was stripped from the elbow to the wrist.
He also suffered much from shock and loss of blood. Mr Wood was taken to the Greymouth Hospital last night, and his injuries were further attended to. A consultation was held this morning, and the doctors are hopeful of saving the limb. -Greymouth Evening Star, 23/6/1911.
The condition of Mr Stephen Wood, who met with a very severe accident at the Bealey Flat end of the tunnel two weeks ago, is causing much anxiety to the Hospital authorities. On enquiry we learn that the unfortunate young man has never properly recovered from the shock of the extensive injuries he then received. -Greymouth Evening Star, 7/7/1911.
Mr Edgar Clarke, of Woodhaugh, Dunedin, an uncle of the young man Stephen Wood, who died in the Hospital as the result of injuries sustained in the tunnel at Bealey Flat, arrived in Greymouth by the Christchurch express last night. -Greymouth Evening Star, 12/7/1911.
THE BEALEY FATALITY.
INQUEST PROCEEDINGS.
An inquest was held in the Courthouse this morning before the Coroner (Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt), touching the death of Stephen Wood, who met his death through injuries received while working at the tunnel works at Bealey Flat on June 21st.
Mr. J. Hannan appeared on behalf of Messrs McLean and Sons (the contractors), by whom deceased was employed. Inspector Black conducted proceedings for the police.
John Porter, fitter, employed by McLean and Sons at the tunnel works, Bealey Flat, said that he knew the deceased Stephen Wood, who was employed at the same end of the tunnel as witness. On the 22nd witness was engaged looking after the electric pumps, and deceased was in charge of the machinery in the power house. About 9.30 a.m. on that day something went wrong with the pumps, and witness rang up deceased to come and examine them. Deceased and witness entered the tunnel together. The pumps were stopped. Deceased instructed witness to take the cover off the pumps while he examined the brushes. Deceased placed one foot on the bed plate of the motor and tapped the brushes with the wooden end of the hammer which he had in his hand. He then said to witness "She is right now. Give her a go." Witness understood this to mean to start the power, so he switched it on. Witness then noticed deceased leaning over as if he were going to fall, and he (witness) immediately switched off the power to stop the machinery. Deceased fell right across the rails and as he was lying down he said to witness "The pumps have done for me now," and he moaned as if in pain. Witness examined deceased and saw that one arm was hanging and bleeding and the clothing was all torn.
The accident was caused through the overcoat of deceased catching in the machinery and pulling him in. The nearest one to the deceased except witness, was five or six yards away. Witness called for assistance and when this arrived witness rang up the office at Otira and told them to send a doctor at once as there was a man very badly injured. No doctor arrived. Deceased was taken on a trolly to the change house where he received first aid from Mr. Grant, and he was then conveyed to the Greymouth Hospital. Deceased was a very steady man and witness had never known him to have a drink of any description. The machinery was not guarded in any way before the accident. The electric pump had been worked by witness for two years and during the whole of that time it had not been guarded. Witness considered that a guard was necessary to protect the workmen. If the machinery, had been guarded then as it was now, no accident would have occurred. Witness had never complained about it to any one. He could not say why he had not done so.
To Mr. Hannan: Deceased was in charge of the electric works at the tunnel, but he (witness) did not know what certificate deceased held. Witness was under the orders of deceased. Deceased told witness to start the machinery just prior to the accident. The accident would not have occurred if deceased had not been wearing an overcoat. The coat caught in the cogs of the machinery. An iron guard had now been placed so as to cover the cog wheels. Only one man in every shift was in charge of the pumps. He did not mean that the pumps were dangerous to the other men in the tunnel. Witness would not think of wearing an overcoat when working the pumps.
To Inspector Black: Witness had no certificate. He was qualified to work the machinery. Witness had driven machinery for 7 years at a gold battery before he went to the tunnel works.
AN EXPERT'S TESTIMONY.
Charles McQueen, mechanical engineer employed by the Borough Council, Greymouth, said that he went to Bealey Flat and examined the machinery where the accident occurred. He examined the electric pumps and was shown the place where deceased stood when the accident occurred. The electric pump is a set of three throw pumps driven by an electric motor. From the electric motor to the pumps there was intermediate shaft geared up with cog wheels. There was a small platform with about a foot wide to stand on. Deceased appeared to have stood with one foot on the platform and the other on the delivery pipes that ran parallel to the platform, and was reaching over adjusting the brushes. If he had nails in his boots the slightest thing would have put him off his balance. The position that deceased was in when reaching over to adjust the brushes of his commutator and the fact that he was wearing an overcoat the slightest jerk would throw him over on the gear. Witness considered that deceased should have taken his overcoat off before going in, but in a similar case witness had often worn his own coat. The machinery was now guarded. Witness considered it absolutely necessary that the machinery should be guarded, and if the guard had been in position at the time it would not and could not have taken place. Witness had many similar pumps and they were mostly all guarded. Witness considered that it was even dangerous to men walking along the lane.
To Mr Hannan: The electrician (Mr Woolfe) explained to witness the position occupied when the accident occurred. This was only aproximately as Mr Woolfe was not present when the accident occurred. The last witness (Porter) was not present. The platform referred to was part of the bed plate. It was necessary that deceased took up the position he did in order to adjust his brushes.
William Arthur Calwell, police constable, stationed at Otira, said that he knew deceased, and saw him at Otira, on the 22nd of last month. Deceased was then on a stretcher on his way to Greymouth Hospital. Witness examined the machinery a few days after the accident and it was then unguarded. He saw it again yesterday and it was then guarded.
Inspector Black said that the other witness who was to have been called missed the train. All that he had done was to render first aid to the deceased. The Coroner returned the following verdict: — "The deceased died at the Grey River Hospital on the 10th day of July, 1911, the cause of his death being nervous exhaustion, resulting from combined anaemia shock and grief at the contemplated loss of his left arm, which on the 22nd day of June, 1911, had been seriously injured by being caught in some cog wheels in the machinery of an electric motor pump in the Otira tunnel. I am of the opinion from the evidence before me that one of the contributing accidents was that the said cog wheels were not guarded so were dangerous to the witness at the pumps and working in the tunnel and that if the said cogs had been properly guarded the accident could not have happened." -Greymouth Evening Star, 17/7/1911
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