Douglas Ellery Read, 45, general superintendent of manufacturing plant, helped to save Arthur Nerbonne, 31, pipe-fitter’s helper, from suffocation, Gatineau, Quebec, September 10, 1942. Nerbonne was overcome by hydrogen sulphide gas in a concrete tank that extended 10 feet below the floor of a building and was 19 feet long and nine feet wide. He lay face down in wood-pulp sludge 18 inches deep and was near a ladder that rose up to a two-foot-square manhole, the collar of which extended three feet above the top of the tank. Read, who had been affected by the gas and had just climbed out of the tank, descended the ladder to the bottom. He waded to Nerbonne, dragged him nearer to the ladder, and then squatted, resting Nerbonne’s head on his knees. He called for help and then was overcome, having been in the tank for 30 seconds. Maurice Dorion entered and raised the heads of Read and Nerbonne. He had difficulty breathing, his eyes became irritated, and he climbed the ladder, being helped out at the top. Wilfrid Racine then descended the ladder, held his breath, and raised the heads of Read and Nerbonne. He then breathed, was strongly affected, and called for help. A rope had been brought, and Joseph J. Jackson descended and tied one end of it around Read. Racine, who had continued to hold to the two men and felt faint, then climbed out. Jackson called for help. Lucien Charron entered the tank and aided by Jackson raised Nerbonne to a sitting position. Jackson, who thought he was losing consciousness, climbed out of the tank. Charron became very dizzy; and feeling unable to ascend the ladder, waded to a wall of the tank, and sat leaning against it, becoming semiconscious. Men at the top with the rope raised Read slightly; but the rope slipped from him, and he fell with his face submerged. Holding his breath Philippe A. Turcotte descended to Read and tied the rope around him. The men on top, Turcotte aiding by pushing, pulled Read from the tank. Turcotte was aided to climb out. He breathed with difficulty, his eyes were irritated, and he became greatly dazed. Lucien Verreault descended to Nerbonne, a blast of air being kept near his head. He became dizzy, tied the rope around Nerbonne, and then was overcome, his face being partly submerged. Nerbonne was pulled from the tank. G. David Moreau descended to Charron, who was unconscious, tied the rope around him, and dragged him to the ladder. The men on top, Moreau aiding by pushing, pulled Charron out of the tank. Moreau then tied the rope around Verreault, who, aided by Moreau, was pulled out. Moreau climbed out. He breathed with difficulty, and his eyes were irritated. All of the men who had been overcome were revived. 39739-3294
39737 – 3294
39737-3294