Single Record

Full Details

Details of Event: At a point 30 yards above the inset a water garland was fixed, from which water was conveyed to the sump in 2-in. diameter wrought-iron screwed pipes, fixed to the shaft timber by means of staples; the cage cleared these pipes by about 2 ins. About 5 minutes before the accident the cager had been to the surface, and on returning to the bottom he noticed water running (own the shaft and deceased having come to the shaft at the time, his attention was called to this. He at once got into the cage to go up, but had only got about 17 yards when there was a crash, and deceased shouted ‘hold’ the care was stopped at once. Deceased was found fastened down in the bottom of the cage by a length of pipe, with his skull fractured one length of pipe was also bent round the cage, which was still in the (wood) guides and three other lengths were sticking through the cage top, which was broken. Deceased was with difficulty got out and taken to the hospital, where he died on the following morning. Two of the joints had been badly corroded, and another had apparently been screwed up only a short distance. Probably when the cager descended the pipes were in some way caught by the cage and a joint broken or displaced, which would let the water run down the shaft and when deceased ascended, the cage caught the broken joint and caused the accident. The shaft had been examined by deceased on the same morning.