Power Line Falls Near Opponent

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31031, 11 April 1966, Page 1

Power Line Falls Near Opponent

“The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, April 10. A heavy cable in the 220-kv. power line being erected between Otahuhu and Henderson pulled away from a pylon to which it was anchored and crashed to the ground, narrowly missing the chairman of the committee that campaigned against the line being put through. Mr B. Blows, of Blockhouse Bay, was working on his car about 10 p.m. when the cable, which was not alive, fell across his driveway, 10 feet away from him. “It was an unpleasant sensation to be standing under a heavy cable and hearing it fall with a high-pitched whistle like an 88 millimetre shell.” said Mr Blows. “It fell too close for comfort.” , Mr Blows said it was ironical that the cable should icome down on his property [when he was chairman of the [committee that campaigned 'against the line. [ The cable fell across a live i power line which had been 'masked to protect workers on

the pylons. Mr Blows feared that it might be touching other live lines and telephoned the Electricity Department.

Mr H. E. Evans, the chief engineer of the department in Auckland, inspected the fallen cable. Mr Blows said: “Mr Evans assured me that the cable was safe and that it wouldn’t fall again.”