On 12 August 1977, Walter Langdon-Davies died of hydrogen sulphide poisoning while rescuing a man who had been overcome by the gas at a pulp mill. A group of men had been carrying out maintenance work when the victim found a leakage. He collapsed before he could leave the area. Mr. Langdon-Davies came to his aid, supporting him until another man could carry him to safety. Moments later Mr. Langdon-Davies was himself overcome, and efforts to remove him from the area were for a time unsuccessful. When he was finally carried to another room, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, oxygen and heart massage could not revive him.