Frank W. Gottschalk, Sr., 56, millwright, died helping to save William A. Meehan, 33, millwright, from suffocation, Neville Island, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1960. Meehan was overcome by carbon monoxide gas while he and Gottschalk were 40 feet above ground atop a blast furnace gas main working on a defective valve. Each man wore a face mask. Gottschalk held Meehan on the main near piping which served as a railing along only one side and, briefly moving aside his mask, called for help with Meehan. Two workmen on a steel stairway alongside the gas main descended to a landing two feet from the piping. From atop a wooden ladder secured to the piping near the stairway, an assistant foreman aided Gottschalk and one of the other men in moving Meehan toward the ladder and in attempting to tie him to prevent him from falling. Feeling dizzy, the two workmen descended the stairway to the ground. Gottschalk then slumped over on the main; and the foreman, also feeling dizzy, descended to the ground. Joseph J. Jelacic then climbed the ladder. After drawing Meehan nearer the edge of the piping to facilitate lowering him to the ground, Jelacic became dizzy, lost consciousness, and fell from the ladder to the concrete pavement 40 feet below. Three other workmen ascended the stairs to the landing. Between them they moved Meehan back from the edge of the piping and tied him to it with a rope. The men became dizzy and returned to the ground. Ronald E. Minnick then climbed the ladder, carrying a safety jacket with which to lower Meehan. From the top of the ladder, he started to put the jacket on Meehan and was overcome, plunging to the ground and sustaining fatal injuries. With the aid of a crane and other equipment, Meehan and Gottschalk were removed from the main. Meehan was hospitalized 11 days and recovered. Gottschalk was dead. 45097-4347
45097 – 4347
45097-4347