CHARLES WOOF

SHOCKING ACCIDENT AT KINTBURY

One of the most serious casualties that has occurred in the Newbury district for some years past, happened on Wednesday afternoon, near Kintbury, when six of the permanent way labourers in the service of the G.W.R. Company sustained injuries which were more or less of an aggravated character.  It appears that some 12 or 15 tons of railway metals were stacked on a wooden staging erected on the embankment near Blunsdon’s Lock, between Kintbury and Hungerford stations, and on Wednesday a gang of men were engaged in loading trucks with these metals for conveyance to another part of the Great Western system.  For this purpose five or six of them were standing on the stack, and about half-past one, without any warning or indication, the wooden staging gave way, and the men and metals were precipitated pell mell down the embankment.  The greatest excitement and consternation ensued, and strenuous efforts were made by the other labourers to rescue the sufferers, but nearly half-an-hour elapsed before they could be extricated.  Fortunately, the train due at Newbury at 2.2 approached at the time, and the injured men were conveyed to Newbury station, where Dr. Ryott and Mr. Montagu Palmer were in prompt attendance.

It was here decided that two of the men who were most severely injured (named Fisher and Haines) should be sent to the Royal Berks Hospital, and they were, accordingly, taken on to Reading by the same train.  Another of the sufferers named Woof, was conveyed to the Navvies Hospital, and the other three who were injured were sent to their homes.  Fisher is 52 years of age, and has been in the employ of the company for 29 years.  Most of the other men are married, and have worked on the line for some years. We sub-join a list of the unfortunate men who were injured: -  George Fisher, of Kintbury, loss of left leg;  Charles Woof, of Newbury, lacerated wound on right leg, and smashed ancle (sic);  Frederick Deane, of Newbury, severe lacerated wound on left upper arm;  George Willis, bad fracture of ancle (sic);  William Simmons, of Hoe Benham, contusions, not serious;  Alfred Haines, fracture of leg and other injuries.

Upon enquiry at the Hospital yesterday, we were informed that Fisher and Haines were progressing slowly.

CHARLES WOOF

THE LATE RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT KINTBURY

FATAL TERMINATION

The man Geo. Fisher, of Kintbury, one of those injured by the late accident on the Great Western Railway at Kintbury, on the 3^rd inst., died from the effects of the terrible injuries he had sustained at the Royal Berks Hospital on Tuesday.  On arriving at the Hospital it was found necessary to amputate the unfortunate man’s leg, but the injuries were so severe that he succumbed to his sufferings on Tuesday afternoon.  The inquest will be held at the Hospital at 3.30 p.m., to-day (Thursday).  Fisher is 52 years of age, he lived at Kintbury, and has been in the service of the Company 29 years.  He has a son employed as porter at the Newbury Station.

On enquiring at the Nurses’ Home last evening we found that the man Charles Woof, who had a lacerated wound on his right leg and smashed ankle, is progressing favourably and will in all probability be discharged next week.