Boy burnt, suburbs blacked out

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32838, 11 February 1972, Page 1

Boy burnt, suburbs blacked out

A 10-year-old boy was badly burnt when he climbed a power pole and touched an 11,000-volt power line in Bexley Road last evening. Two sub-stations were tripped out and a third of Christchurch — from Fitzgerald Avenue to the sea — was plunged into darkness when he activated the automatic airbreak system. The boy, Michael Pelecudis, of 5 Lyndhurst Crescent, Wpinoni, was badly burnt on his hands, arms, legs and body. He was taken . by St John ambulance to Burwood Hospital where his condition was reported to be satisfactory. The boy was caught in the lines for some minutes before his rescuers were able to reach him. Mr R. G. Matthews, of 196 Palmers Road, New Brighton, who helped rescue the boy, said he saw the flash from across the river just after 8 p.m. and went to investigate. “I saw the boy caught up on top of the pole,” said Mr Matthews. “I did not think much. I just went up. He was still conscious. I did not have a very good grip on the pole and I was concerned about dropping him. “His arm was somehow locked around the pole,” said Mr Matthews. “It was half-pie cooked where the electricity went through it. “I asked him to let go but he could not. I managed to get him free and get a hold around - his body. I then got him by his clothes and lowered him to another man standing on the pole platform. “I held on as tight as I could until someone else got hold,” he said. Mr D. F. Parker, of 96A Bexley Road, and Mr S. W. Lawson, of 109 Carrisbrooke 1 Street, who were standing below Mr Matthews then took the boy the rest of the way down the pole. Mr Matthews said it was only after he got the boy down that he realised how high he was and began to think how to get down himself. The pole had no steps on it and he could not understand how the boy got up. It is not clear why the boy went up the pole. The incident tripped out the load switches at New Brighton and Linwood district substations. Consumers east of Fitzgerald Avenue and north of Ferry Road were without power for about 40 minutes though all had been reconnected by 9 pan. Two engines and the staff car from the Christchurch fire brigade turned out but were not required.