DEATH FROM BURNS

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 23, 28 January 1939, Page 7

DEATH FROM BURNS

TOUCHED POWER WIRE FATALITY AT WHANGAREI. FOUTCD WITH CLOTHES AFIRE (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHAXGAREI, this day. Coming into contact with the main transmission line from Arapuni while working at the Public Works Department's electrical sub-station at Mareretu, near Paparoa. yesterday afternoon, Mr. H. T. Young received severe burns from which he died in the Whangarei District Hospital at midnight. Mr. Young, who was of middle age, was a married man residing at Hikurangi. In his capacity as relieving attendant at the sub-station, he is understood to have been working on a step-ladder painting equipment near the high-tension wire when the accident occurred.

_He was first noticed on the pround with his clothes on fire beneath one of the power poles by Mrs. «T. Pilclier, wife of another employee. Mrs. Pilcher ran to his assistance, extinguishing the flames with water and called Dr. D. McKay, of Paparoa, who attended' the injured man before he was taken to hospital at Whangarei by the St. John Ambulance. Suffering from burns to the chest, neck and face, Mr. Young was found to be in a eerious condition and, despite all efforts by the hospital staff, he died a few hour* later.

From the position in which he was found it is surmised that Mr. Young came into contact with the wire when Bft from the ground and was instantly burned and thrown to the earth. It was only by the merest chance that Mrs. Pilcher visited the sub-station at that time, otherwise his plight might not have been discovered for some time.