NEW ZEALAND DISASTERS AND TRAGEDIES
OTIRA TUNNEL ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES
OTIRA TUNNEL, BETWEEN CANTERBURY AND THE WEST COAST, SOUTH ISLAND
1909 - 1917

WIKIPEDIA - The Otira Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Midland Line in the South Island of New Zealand, between Otira and Arthur's Pass. It runs under the Southern Alps from Arthur's Pass to Otira, a length of over 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi). The gradient is mainly 1 in 33, and the Otira end of the tunnel is over 250 m (820 ft) lower than the Arthur's Pass end. Construction commenced in 1907 and a "breakthrough" celebration was held on 21 August 1918 by the Minister of Public Works Sir William Fraser. When the tunnel opened on 4 August 1923, it was the seventh longest tunnel in the world and the longest in the British Empire.

A contract to build the tunnel in 5 years was let to the engineering firm of John McLean and Sons who started at the Otira end in 1908, using the drill and blast method. With progress difficult and slow McLeans asked to be relieved from the contract in 1912, and were financially ruined (the tunnel cost over twice the contract price of Pds599,794. The government could find no other tenderers, so the work was taken over by the Public Works Department. The government considered halting construction in World War I, but the Imperial Government requested that work should continue in case the German navy blockaded the West Coast ports used for coal shipment. Breakthrough was on 20 July 1918, but concrete lining took a further three years, and then two more years before the tunnel opened.

There were said to be eight fatalities during construction but I have found eleven (so far):

DEATHS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OTIRA TUNNEL
BEEMER Charles Died 04 May 1910 35 OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
BIRSS Andrew Charles Died 10 April 1913 33 OTAGO DAILY TIMES, ISSUE 15738, 15 APRIL 1913
BYRNE John Died 12 October 1915 50 NORTH OTAGO TIMES, VOLUME CII, ISSUE 13393, 14 OCTOBER 1915
CARR William [Recorded as Matthew] Tunnel hand Died 03 March 1910 35 LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXI, ISSUE 15246, 5 MARCH 1910
CHALMERS John Alexander Died 17 October 1915 41 SUN, VOLUME II, ISSUE 527, 18 OCTOBER 1915
CUTHBERT Frank Died 22 August 1911 31 LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXII, ISSUE 15702, 23 AUGUST 1911
DICK William Erskini Overseer Died 12 October 1909 31 TIMARU HERALD, VOLUME XIIC, ISSUE 14030, 13 OCTOBER 1909
MARTIN William Herbert Died 06 August 1912 33 LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXIII, ISSUE 16003, 9 AUGUST 1912
MCLEAN Glen Allan (Glenallan) Died 10 November 1910 27 LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXI, ISSUE 15460, 11 NOVEMBER 1910
TWOMEY Patrick Labourer Died 17 June 1915 24 OAMARU MAIL, VOLUME XL, ISSUE 12570, 18 JUNE 1915
WOOD Stephen Died 10 July 1911 23 OTAGO DAILY TIMES, ISSUE 15198, 18 JULY 1911


ACCIDENTS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OTIRA TUNNEL
ANDERSON Gustav Accident STAR, ISSUE 9806, 24 MARCH 1910
ARMERICH Samuel Slightly injured OAMARU MAIL, VOLUME XL, ISSUE 12570, 18 JUNE 1915
BAIRD [BEARD] A Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
BONNINGTON Accident OTAGO DAILY TIMES, ISSUE 16974, 10 APRIL 1917
BRAY Claud [Claude] Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
BROSNAN Frank Timberman Knocked down by train and run over STAR, ISSUE 9862, 1 JUNE 1910
COWLEY Accident OTAGO DAILY TIMES, ISSUE 16974, 10 APRIL 1917
CROW Patrick Accident LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXII, ISSUE 15799, 14 DECEMBER 1911
DOYLE J Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
DUGGAN J Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
GAMBRAZZI E Injured TIMARU HERALD, VOLUME XIIC, ISSUE 14030, 13 OCTOBER 1909
GOUGH Tom Accident DOMINION, VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1861, 22 SEPTEMBER 1913
JONES J S Injured TIMARU HERALD, VOLUME XIIC, ISSUE 14030, 13 OCTOBER 1909
MAHONEY J Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
MCINTOSH John Accident MAORILAND WORKER, VOLUME 2, ISSUE 34, 27 OCTOBER 1911
MCKERCH [MCKEICH] James Tunnel foreman Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
MUNROE Dan Accident DOMINION, VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1861, 22 SEPTEMBER 1913
POTTS [PITTS] George Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
RAE Walter Cut about the head and hands OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
ROTHWELL J Hurt by explosion GREYMOUTH EVENING STAR, 9 DECEMBER 1915
RUSHTON W Injured TIMARU HERALD, VOLUME XIIC, ISSUE 14030, 13 OCTOBER 1909
SHAW James Trucker Roof collapse, Bealey end of tunnel OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 2929, 4 MAY 1910
STOREY Charles badly injured OAMARU MAIL, VOLUME XL, ISSUE 12570, 18 JUNE 1915
WADDELL Percy Accident LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXX, ISSUE 15154, 18 NOVEMBER 1909
WALLACE John Chuckman Accident LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXIII, ISSUE 16020, 29 AUGUST 1912
WILLIAMS Walter Accident LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME CXXIII, ISSUE 15866, 2 MARCH 1912


Also see Wikipedia OTIRA TUNNEL


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