FATAL SHOCK?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 155, 4 July 1938, Page 4

FATAL SHOCK?

WORKMAN'S COLLAPSE

POWER STATION FATALITY.

RESUSCITATION EFFORTS FAIL (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIROA. this day. The sub-station at the Onepoto outlet to Lake Waikaremoana was the scene of a distressing tragedy on Saturday. the victim beinjj Kdward Tizzard, first station operator at the Waikaremoana hydro-electric works-, who collapsed after apparently receiving an electric shock. Mr. Tizzard, who had been stationed at Tuai for approximately 10 years, would have been 45 years old next month. He was a married man with one child, a boy aged three.

The tragedy occurred on Saturday morning and wis witnessed by Mr. W. A. S. Surridge, station superintendent at Waikaremoana, who had accompanied Mr. Tizzard to the sub-station at Onepoto, which is about five miles from Tuai. The two men left for the substation shortly after nine o'clock, and on arrival at the sub-station Mr. Surridge explained to Mr. Tizzard the details of a job that was to hare been started to-day. On arrival they went to the sub-station enclosure, where a 400volt circuit breaker was situated. Mr. Surridge i* stated to have pointed out to Mr. Tizzard a Kelman oil switch of 11,000 volte which controlled pressure to the transformer. It is stated that when the full nature of the work to be carried out in the switch room had been explained, Mr. Surridge gave another instruction to Mr. Tizzard, but received no reply. Apparently Mr. Tizzard had left the room and Mr. Surridge -went to Jook for him. It was blowing very hard at the time, and Mr. Surridge could neither see nor hear his companion. He then proceeded toward the outer gate of the enclosure, and noticed that the gate which was always fastened with a chain was unlocked and open. He saw Mr. Tizzard standing inside the enclosure close to one of the conductors.

On his way to the enclosure Mr. Surridge suspected that he heard a noise made by an arc as if something had made contact, but at that stage he was not sure. On seeing Mr. Tizzard he walked toward him, and heard Mr. Tizzard say something. Just as he spoke, however, Mr. Surridge distinctly heard an arc. He grabbed Mr. Tizzard by the coat-tails and swung him clear. Mr. Tizzard immediately collapsed. Mr. Surridge made strenuous endeavours to revive his companion with artificial respiration, and at the same time called to hk wife, who was waiting by the roadside for them. Mrs. Surridge left immediately to summon help, which arrived shortly after. Dr. S. J. Harbutt, of Wairoa, was also communicated with, but despite continued efforts to revive him, Mr. Tizzard died about half an hour before the doctor arrived.