Biography

The deceased was one of three men who were killed in a fall of a cage down a mine shaft at Waroonga Gold Mine, six miles from Lawlers. The men got onto the cage at one of the lower levels and the signal to hoist was obeyed. It is believed that when the cage was nearing Level 1, one of the men, Pietro Andreoli, leaned too far out and was caught, then pushed into his companions with the result that the other two men, Vincenzo Cattaneo and Owen Owens, were knocked off the cage. The lifeless body of Andreoli was brought to the surface still in the cage but Cattaneo and Owens fell to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 400-500 feet. Cattaneo and Owens, were hurled from side to side of the shaft in their descent, and were literally smashed to pieces. It was later determined that Andreoli leaned one of his shoulders too far over the side, and was caught either by a cap piece or some other timber of a set, with the result that he was precipitated against his two companions, who were knocked off the cage. Andreoli's body was hanging out of the cage face upwards, and his legs in the cage. He was dead then and was taken to the surface. The verdict of the inquiry was "That Peter Andreoli, Owen Owens, and Vince Cattaneo, on the 3rd day of April, 1907, came to their deaths in the shaft of the Waroonga Gold Mine by Peter Andreoli accidentally striking against a set while the cage was being hoisted, thereby causing Owen Owens and Vince Cattaneo to fall also, they being killed by falling down the shaft and that no blame is attached to anyone. The jury added a rider to the effect that for the safety of men travelling in shafts all cages should hare a guard rail or centre bar. He is buried in Plot 9, Section A of Lawlers Cemetery.