Following a fall from the roof of Messrs. Bignell’s factory in Carnegie-street, on which he was working as a carpenter last Friday morning. Ronald Arthur Gaunt (19), of Crabb-street, Rushden, was rushed to Northampton General Hospital, where he died later in the day.

The inquest was opened at Northampton Hospital on Saturday by Mr. A. J. Darnell, but was confined to the evidence of the father, Arthur Charles Gaunt, of 11 Crabb-street, Rushden, lorry driver, who said that his son was 19 years of age and was an apprentice carpenter employed by Messrs. T. Swindall and Sons, Rushden. He would have completed his apprenticeship next week.

His son was in perfect health when he left at 7 a.m. on Friday to go to work at Messrs. Bignell’s factory.

The inquest was resumed on Wednesday when Mr. W. George (Messrs. Morgan and George, Wellingborough) represented the relatives of the deceased, and Mr. J. S. Parker (Messrs. J. T. Parker and Son, Wellingborough) the employers, while Mr. A. J. Tecey, H.M. Inspector of Factories, was also present.

Alfred Harry Cave, carpenter, 13 Birchall-road, Rushden, said that on July 26th he was working with Maurice Law and Gaunt repairing an asbestos roof at the factory of Messrs. Bignells, Ltd. in Carnegie-street, Rushden. They had a ladder from the ground to the roof and a crawl plank from the edge of the roof to the ridge, but no crawler on the side where the accident happened.

He had left the roof for a plank underneath to help with the bolting when he saw Gaunt fall. He could not give the reason, but the asbestos must have given way.

Asked to describe the operations, witness said they were removing the asbestos panels three at a time, putting in lead flashings, and then replacing the panels and bolting them to the steel work.

In cross-examination he said the reason there was no crawl board on the side where they were working was that it would have been more difficult and the crawl would have been in their way. He knew that asbestos was brittle and varied a good deal. A second crawl ladder was available.

The asbestos sheets were 6 feet long and 2½ feet wide. The distance of the fall would be about 15 feet. The roof was at a small angle.

Maurice Law, labourer, 76, Westfield-avenue, Rushden, who was also working on the roof, said he was with Gaunt. In walking up the roof the asbestos gave way, and witness fell through, injuring a heel (he was still limping), and Gaunt, who was following him, must have fallen immediately afterwards.

Witness did not see him fall, but saw him on the ground. Law said he was aware that they had to be very careful on such a roof. He agreed with Cave as to the non-use of a crawler.

Thomas James Swindall, senior member of the firm of Messrs. T. Swindall and Sons, Ltd., builders, Station-road, Rushden, for whom the men were working, said that practice of using crawlers depended on the pitch of the roof. In this case where the pitch was slight, 24 degrees in all, there would be no crawler, as to use one would be difficult and the danger greater.

The sheets were, in point of fact, being removed one by one, but three in the one operation. This was done, because to put the lead flash in one width at a time would not give the necessary standard of water-proofness. He admitted that there was danger, pointing out that asbestos was dangerous when not new, but not as dangerous as glass.

He had subsequently tested the asbestos to stand a weight of 4 ¾ cwts., which was much more than the weight of the two men on the roof. He put a sheet at the same angle as the roof, got on it himself (12 st. 6 lbs.), then the foreman (13 st.) got on, and it was not until a third man got on and made the load a live one that it gave way.

Dr. H. L. Porter, house surgeon at Northampton General Hospital, said that when admitted Gaunt was unconscious and there were symptoms of a fractured skull. Death was due to a fractured base of the skull and internal haemorrhage.

Mr. Tecey emphasised the dangers of asbestos roofs, and said that notices calling attention to those dangers were issued to occupiers of factories with them. He had had four cased, three of them fatal, in his district.

Asbestos should be treated as glass would be. The use of crawlers would, he thought, be desirable. He added that he had never had occasion to call Mr. Swindall’s attention to the danger, and that whenever he had spoken to him on other matters, Mr. Swindall had always done what was asked at once.

His expression of sympathy for the relatives was endorsed by Mr. Parker and Mr. Tecey, all also joining in the hope that Law would have a speedy recovery.