The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-09
NARROW ESCAPE.
A Workman Nearly
Succumbs to
Deadly Gas.
OTHERS AFFECTED.
Leak in Pipe Causes Con-
sternation Among Men
Working in q Sewer.

Joseph Birmingham, an employee
of the sewer department, had a narrow
escape from death by asphyxiation
while at work on the separating sewer
system at the corner of Winter and
Green streets yesterday afternoon at
$50 o'clock. Michael Burke and Michael
Carrigan were also overcome by es-
Gaping gas at the same time.
Birmingham, who is subject to asth-
matte attacks was in the worst con-
dition Of the trio and his fellow work.
me-; had fears 70: his life. DR.. Brennan
was summoned, treated Birmingham
and ordered him to his home, Cam
bridge place.
But for the GOODNESS and the quick
ness with which Foreman James Null
hearn grasped the situation Birming-
ham would have lost his life The men
under Formal Mulhearn descended into
the shaft at the corner of Green and
Winter streets, which is about % feet
deep and about 10 feet square at the
bottom. About six feet down the gas
main is laid bare for the distance Of
10 feet. The men noticed a strong odor
of gas as they descended, but naturally
thought that if the gas was escaping
1t would flow upward and not down
into the trench.
Hardly had the men reached the bot
tom of the shaft when Michael Burke
complained of the gas affecting him.
The foreman also noticed the strong
odor, but thought nothing of it. He gave
permission to Burke to go above until
he recovered from his attack.
Burke had but just reached the top
when Birmingham, who is subject to
asthmatic attacks, had a fit of cough
ing. He quickly inhaled the deadly gas
and was rapidly overcome. He sank
unconscious at the feet of his fellow
Workmen, who also began to feel the
effects.
Foreman Mulhearn called to Burke,
who was out of the shaft by that time,
to lower a rope Immediately. Burke
did so and the foreman quickly fasten-
ed it about the unconscious mans
shoulders. Burke had called to several
workmen about who FASTENED to the
top of the shaft.
Willing hands grasped the rope and
soon hauled Birmingham to the sur
face. He was taken away from the
mouth of the shaft and restoratives
were applied without avail. His COM
panions were frightened and several
went after doctors. DR.. Brennan was
the first to arrive. When he got to the
scene the man had partly regained
consciousness. Dr. Brennan did what
he could for him and ordered him
home. The doctor says he was in bad
shape when he arrived and said if he
remained down in the shaft a few min
utes longer the deadly gas would have
killed him.
He ordered Birmingham to his home
on Cambridge place, where last night
| it was said the patient was doing well.
In the meantime down in the shaft
after Birmingham was taken out,
Foreman Mulhearn had another cause
for worry, for Michael Carrigan be-
gan to complain of being affected.
Mulhearn put his arm about Carrigan
and helped him up the ladder. When
they reached the top Carrigan quick
! ly recovered from his attack
The gas came from a leak in the
pipe which has existed for the past
few days. Foreman Mulhearn notified
the gas company of the leak early in
the day. The leak was not thought to
be very bad yesterday, because of the
frozen condition of the ground. The
heat of yesterday took the frost out Of
the ground and softened the earth
around the leak, thereby allowing it
to enter the shaft.
The smell of gas about the neighbor-
hood was strong. When the gas COM
pany employees arrived to repair the
leak one of the men became affected
by the gas by leaning over the shaft.
The gas was shut off and the leak was
afterward repaired.