Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 26 April 1929

Child Gassed.

Little Boy’s Fatal Curiosity.

How a child’s curiosity led to its death was described at an inquest at the Butchers’ Arms, Thurnscoe, on Friday, conducted by Mr. W. H. Carlile, on Thomas Victor Tucker (8), son of Horace Victor Tucker, miner, of 25, Thornley Crescent, Thurnscoe.

Mrs. Olive Louisa Tucker, the mother, said that in the child’s bedroom warn a part of a gas pipe protruding from the wall, on the end of which was a screw-cap. If the child stood on the bed his head would be on the level of the pipe.

About 8 am. on Thursday she heard Thomas call “Mam.” She asked him what was wrong, and the child replied. “Oh, come quick, mam.” “I rushed to his room,” said Mrs. Tucker, “and before I got there I could smell gas. I opened his door wide, and said ‘Oh, Tommy, what have you done? I ran downstairs, put a wet towel round my mouth, and went back to his -own. Tommy was standing on • bed with the screw-cap in his hand, and gas was still issuing from the pipe. I took the cap, fastened it on the pipe-end , and turned my attention to Tommy. He was gasping for breath. He said, ‘There Is a hole there, mam. I asked if he knew it was pa, and he replied ‘No.’ He then collapse. I sent my brother for a doctor, but Tommy was dead before he arrived.”

In answer to the Coroner, Mrs. Thacker could not remember that the child had ever played with the cap before. The cap was easy to unscrew.

The Coroner said the child must have been playing with the cap for some time, but it was strange that he did not ran from the room when he smelt gas.

Dr. R. Melbourne, of Thurnscoe, gave evidence of being called to the Tuckers’ home on Thursday morning, but the child was dead i when he examined it. Death was caused by asphyxiation due to coal gas.

The Coroner said it was plain that a child of that age could not have taken its life, and therefore it was a very regrettable accident. No one could be blamed.

A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was recorded. The Coroner asked Mr. Tucker whether he had trouble with escaping gas, and workmen had been to the house. The coroner said he would write to Thurnscoe Council on the matter.