Ralph Thomas RYAN

1897 - 1926  (29 years)

• Name	Ralph Thomas RYAN
  Birth	27 Jan 1897	New Zealand   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Death	09 Apr 1926	Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand   [1, 3]
  	Cause: Accidental Burns from boiling blood
  Burial	11 Apr 1926	Panmure, Auckland, New Zealand   [4, 5]
  Person ID	I16555	NZ Genealogy Project
  Last Modified	11 Aug 2024

  
  

  Family	Ada Kate LOOMB,   b. 18 Jan 1895, Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand d. 08 Apr 1963, Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	20 Mar 1919	New Zealand   [1, 2, 6]
  Family ID	F5500	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Dec 2024

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 27 Jan 1897 - New Zealand Marriage - 20 Mar 1919 - New Zealand Death - Cause: Accidental Burns from boiling blood - 09 Apr 1926 - Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Burial - 11 Apr 1926 - Panmure, Auckland, New Zealand  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  DEATH FROM SCALDS THE WESTFIELD ACCIDENT MAN WORKING AT DIGESTER NUTS OF DOOR REMOVED An inquest concerning the death of Mr Ralph Thomas Ryan, aged 28, a labourer employed at the Westfield Freezing Company's works, who was fatally scalded on April 8 while opening the door of a blood-digester, was held at Auckland before Mr J. W. Poynton. S.M., coroner. Mr. Cahill appeared for the relatives of deceased, Mr. Sellar for the Westfield Freezing Company and Mr. Hollows for the Labour Department. John William Tureich, foreman of the tallow department, said than on making an inspection of the blood-cooling room after the accident, he found that all the holts on the door of the digester on which deceased had been working had been removed and the door was swinging open from the top on its hinge. The contents of the digester had been fully cooked and about 2 cwt was spread about the floor. "In my opinion, Ryan removed all the nuts from the door, which was contrary to instructions." said witness. "He was taking a risk and was more likely to be burned than if only a few nuts had been removed. He was a very capable worker and had been doing this work for almost the whole of the five years he was at the works. The draining cock under the digester was open as though he had emptied the water that way." The blood was removed from the digester through the door after it had been cooled. Two nights before the accident witness worked the digester himself and it occurred to him that if the blood were not properly cooled it would squirt out. He again issued a warning to Ryan to leave at least two bolts on the door while opening it. He thought it necessary to issue this instruction again as he considered deceased was a little careless at times. William Edward Bidgwood, a labourer employed at the freezing works, said deceased approached him on the refinery floor. He did not appear to be badly burned. Witness could account for the accident only by surmising that deceased had unscrewed the bolts too far or taken them off altogether. There were seven bolts and instructions had been given to leave at least two of the side ones in the door. Dr. R. G. B. Lusk, resident surgeon at the Auckland Hospital, said that deceased was suffering from severe scalds on the chest and back. He died from shock the morning after admission. The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence and stated that death was due to scalds received from blood and water at the digester where deceased was employed. There was no actual evidence to show how the accident occurred. Source: New Zealand Herald, 24 April 1926, Page 14.

  
  

• Sources

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