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Subject Topic: Man killed while fixing caravan`s brakes Post Reply Post New Topic
09/2/2012 at 4:51pm
 Location: Buckinghamshire
 Outfit: VW Campers and Tents
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A man was killed after he was crushed by the caravan he was fixing outside his home.

Douglas Pearce, 65, was fixing the brakes on his large Sterling caravan outside his property in Testlands Avenue, Nursling, having jacked up the vehicle and supported it on an axle stand.

But the vehicle became dislodged and fell onto Mr Pearce, causing severe chest injuries and preventing him from breathing for several minutes.

He was rushed to Southampton General Hospital but had sustained irreversible brain damage and died a few days later.

The accident was witnessed by neighbour Stephen Angel, of Homefield Drive, Nursling, who was out walking his dog, an inquest heard.

Mr Angel said: “I did not see anything happen as I was about 30-40 yards away but I heard a crash and a groan and I knew something was up.

“I had a suspicion of what had happened. If I had just heard the crash I would not have worried but because I heard a person groaning in agony I knew something was going on.”

He found Mr Pearce and alerted the former telephone engineer’s wife – who was inside the house – and nearby neighbours after the accident on August 29.

In a statement, Mrs Pearce, married to her husband for 44 years, said she was indoors and heard a noise but did not realise what had happened.

She said: “I was doing the ironing and heard a noise but I had the radio on and was not sure what it was because it wasn’t loud.

“Then I heard a knock on my door and had my neighbour tell me to ring for an ambulance.”

The inquest heard the caravan handbrake was not applied but a mechanised ‘friction wheel’ stabiliser was working. The vehicle was also on a slight slope, which may have affected its balance.

Grahame Short, Coroner for Central Hampshire, presiding, said: “It’s unclear precisely what happened as to why the caravan moved off its axle stand. I believe there was insufficient support for the van and it twisted and fell onto him as he carried out work.”

He recorded a verdict of accidental death and said it was a tragic incident.

Our thoughts are with the family.

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09/2/2012 at 4:53pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Swift Caravan
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Oh dear very tragic.....sympathy to all the family


09/2/2012 at 5:05pm
 Location: Herts
 Outfit: Conway Classic Trio 2004
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Oh, what a shame for his poor family :(


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09/2/2012 at 5:39pm
 Location: Luton (no jokes plea
 Outfit: Coachman and Hyundai
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How terrible. OH has just told me he was thinking of doing the same with our caravan as he has noticed a bit of rust.

Anne


09/2/2012 at 6:25pm
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Any work that entails taking a wheel off then, the van should be hitched to the car.This might not stop it coming off an axle stand but will stop it piviting

Poor guy feel sorry for his family.

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Animals have feelings..

JEFF................


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09/2/2012 at 6:30pm
 Location: Argyll Scotland
 Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4
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If I am working under a vehicle or the camper in the workshop, after I jack it up onto the axle stands and before I go under the unit, I make two piles of old wheels with their tyres and put one on each side of where I will be working and beneath the chassis.

These piles are high enough to give me room to escape If anything does go wrong.

Unfortunately a chap I knew had to die in similar circumstances to Mr Pearce before I learned this lesson.



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Lobey.


09/2/2012 at 6:31pm
 Location: West Midlands
 Outfit: None Entered
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Very sad news, Such a shame, My sympathy to Mr pearce's family.

I remember a while back servicing the brakes on my old caravan and thinking that the van might be a bit unstable jacked up. I ended up hooking the caravan up to the car and jacking the van up one side at a time. I got away with it but this story really makes you think twice about doing such jobs.

Matt.



09/2/2012 at 6:38pm
 Location: None Entered
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Sad news for all. However basic precautions my not have been carried out. Like chocking the opposite wheel and putting down the legs on the van.


09/2/2012 at 6:59pm
 Location: Shopshire
 Outfit: None Entered
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Sad news, sympathy to his family.

-------------
2013.
Time to say goodbye















09/2/2012 at 7:13pm
 Location: WEST LOTHIAN
 Outfit: COACHMAN 460 2
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thats very frightening and sad ,sympathies to his family

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wynnie


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10/2/2012 at 4:12pm
 Location: Blackpool Lancashire
 Outfit: Conway countryman.
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How Tragic, my thoughts are with his family.

-------------
Exercise every day and Die Healthy....

JOSEY60


10/2/2012 at 7:26pm
 Location:  Surrey
 Outfit: Peugeot Boxer Utah + Lunar Ariva
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So easy  to happen, so quickly to occur. Yet on hindsight we may not of done this as Mr Pearce did, but have we done anything else in our past where we could think back now  & realise an accident could of happened.

What a horrible thing to happen to anyone, and be seen still under it by loved ones as his wife must of seen until it could be got off of her lovely husband of 44 years.I hope she can get the picture out of her mind, it will not be easy done.

Thoughts go out ot her & man who found him and could do nothing. Very tragic.



-------------
Chrissie

Be Strong-Think positive.


10/2/2012 at 7:30pm
 Location: west country
 Outfit: None Entered
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A tragic accident easily avoided.

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Steve




11/2/2012 at 6:55pm
 Location: North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Holi * Perran 4 * Airedale 5
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Very sad.
My eldest son's father died in very similar circumstance. He was working on his boss's car and it slipped off the axle stands and crushed him.

My OH is a mechanic and I always panic when he works under vehicles as I know how quickly these tradgedies can occur.

My sympathy is with this man's family xx



-------------
Helen xx
Mini Mad Mum


11/2/2012 at 7:16pm
 Location: Southampton
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 570SE & Kuga 2l TCDi
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Same, my BIL died at 34 when a Citreon he was working on crushed him when it fell on him.  Because of the hydraulic suspension he didn't stand a chance.



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