Child Killed By Shock From Faulty Radio Earth

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 14

Child Killed By Shock From Faulty Radio Earth

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 12.

An inquest into the death of a three-year-old boy who was killed by the shock he received

when he touched a radio earthwire underneath a house, was held before the Coroner (Mr A. Addison*) today Evidence was given that the boy* David Harold Pike, went under the house with his mother, Mrs Thelma Alison Pike Both were in their bare feet. When the boy gripped the wire, Mrs Pike tried to release him, but found herself unable either to pull him away or let him go.

They were only released about five minutes Later when neighbours turned the power off. Efforts to' revive the boy were unsuccessful. Harold Edward Pike, carpenter, father of the boy, gave evidence that he had earthed the radio about four years ago by running a wire through a hole in the Lounge floor and attaching it to a pipe under the He had often touched the wire without any ill effects. Ronald Bruce Taylor, electrical test engineer, said the radio had

been fitted with a 115-volt interference filter, which was attached to the 230-volt mains by a twocore cable. The earth terminal of the filter had been connected to a piece of half-inch water piping driven 15 inches into the ground. One of the two condensers in the filter had broken down, with the result that the earth wire had become “live,” carrying the full 230 volts.

‘‘This earth was possibly effective from a radio point of view, but was not acceptable as a protective earth connexion,” Taylor added. “These conditions made it very dangerous.’ ’ The Coroner said the danger of faulty electrical apparatus was that the fault could usually not be seen. “It is difficult to know what can be done to stop this sort of tragedy occurring,” he added. “It seems that so long as

we use electrical equipment we will continue to have these unfortunate happenings.’’