ELECTRIC SHOCK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 122, 5 March 1942, Page 4

ELECTRIC SHOCK.

FATALITY AT THE BIRCHES. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. The inquest into the death of MiFrank Keen, a gantry driver employed by the Public Works Department at The Birches. Surrey Hills, was held this morning before the Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst). - " The Ashburton Power Board was represented by Mr G. C. Nicoll, the Public Works Department by Mr L. A. Charles, the relatives ol’ the deceased by Mr A. D. Mcßae (Timaru), and the Public Works Employees’ Union bv Mr T. G. Leekie.

Lancelot Owen Turner, a carpenter employed by the Public Works Department at Surrey Hills, said that on the afternoon of February 3 he was in charge of six men who were shifting the pipe-laying gantry. The gantry had to be shifted 12 feet to put a pipe in position. It was thought the gantry would clear the wires by .about three feet. However, as they were passed under (he wire, Keen suddenly jumped in the air and fell back on the rails unconscious. This was about •3 p.m. Five minutes elapsed before artificial respiration was applied. No one knew how to go .about it. Dr. Fulton, who arrived about 5 p.m., pronounced life extinct.

Dr. J. Connor stated that a postmortem examination revealed several burns on the body. In his opinion death was caused by an electric shock.

Wilfred Francis O’Callajghan, an electrical inspector of the P.W.D., stationed at Addington, said that on February 4 ho made a thorough investigation of the gantry which showed signs of burns. He also went to the Springfield sub-station to examine .and test, the protective power of the station. The mechanism was in satisfactory order. There were two power poles near to where the gantry passed under the wires and on both of them were danger notices. The power line could have been noticeable from the top of the gantry. H. G. Kemp (Engineer-Secretary for the Ashburton Power Board) said that a clearance of 34 feet was asked to be given, but actually the clearance given was 38 feet. The control equipment i f the line operated satisfactorily. To Mr Charles: The arrangement about clearance was made about July, 1940. The arrangements were made in a conversation between witness and the engineer on the job at that time. Turner, recalled, said in reply to Mr Charles that there was over three feet clearance. When the gantry came to rest column No. 1 was just touching the wires. Had the gantry como to rest a few indies sooner it would not have touched the wires. The Coroner returned a. verdict that death resulted from electric shock. It appeared that all precautions had been taken by the Power Board to prevent accidents.