Singular Accident
Isle of Wight Observer May 25, 1895
SINGULAR ACCIDENT – On Wednesday a singular accident occurred in Nelson Street. A man named Hunt, who resides at Oakfield, was employed by Mr T Butcher, painter, of Simeon Street, to paint the front of Belgrave Terrace, Nelson Street. He was working nearly at the top of a ladder of 29 rongs (sic) (9 inches apart) when the ladder suddenly broke in three pieces, and the poor fellow was precipitated to the ground with great violence. Part of the broken ladder struck a man named Dyer, who was working on another ladder near, but fortunately he was very little hurt. Hunt was, however, picked up insensible and conveyed to Dr Greening, who found that the man had broken his wrist, and believed he had also sustained internal injuries. He was conveyed home, and subsequently to the Infirmary. The collapse of the ladder excited some surprise as it was new only 18 months ago, and no flaw could be found in it. A man named Richard Fraser worked on it from 6 till 8 o’clock the same morning. Hunt has been extremely unfortunate as he had been 13 or 14 weeks in the Infirmary previous to the accident, suffering from rheumatic fever, and this was his first start at work after about two years. He has a wife and several children.
