1930 Kentish Mercury
CHARLTON RESEARCH WORKS FATALITY
Deptford Man Overcome by gas
Jury’s Recommendation
At the inquest at Greenwich on Tuesday on the body of George Perry (36) of 43 Broadwall Street, Deptford, a riveters mate, employed at the Government Fuel Research department’s Works at Riverway, Charlton. It was stated that while at work there on Friday morning above a water gas plant, he was overcome by carbon monoxide and fell 38 feet to his death.
The chief engineer, Captain J.F. Shaw said the accident happened in the main building where deceased was helping to erect a dust extractor over the water gas plant, in connection with which is used a coke made hot by a heavy draught. When the man fell he was standing on a temporary wooden platform with the wall behind him. In falling he must have gone through an aperture 14 inches wide and between pipe and a coke hopper. His cap was found 14 feet away from where his body was lying. Replying to questions he said the scaffolding was perfectly sound and had been in use for a fortnight. The plant was not working at the time but there was a fire in it and samples of the atmosphere, which had been taken showed traces of carbon monoxide.
A Juror: you did not think it sufficient to cause gas in dangerous quantities up there. That certainly is so. Men had been working up there for a fortnight without any accident.
Greenwich Peninsula History 