AMONG LIVE WIRES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2971, 8 January 1917, Page 6

AMONG LIVE WIRES

FATALITY AND INQUEST. . By Telegraph—Fress Afspciafion. ChristchuroTi, January 6. At the inquest oh Benson BUokburne, who was killed by a fall front an electric wire at Fendalton,. the evidence showed that the deceased was not wearing a body-belt at the time of the accident, although ho was working among livo wires. The Coroner said that this was ft case of "Familiarity breeds contempt.' The engineer to tho Waimain County Council said he had given instructions that body-belts should be worn. Ho had employed men from the city, who had refused to wear the belt, which they had termed "childish." Hβ explained that the men when working on city wires, sat on a sack laid over tho 'Hie Coroner (Mr. H. W. Bishop) remarked that he would not like .to sib on a live wire covered only by a sack. Tho engineer in charge was taking great risk in employing men without; seeing that necessary precautions" wer« observed. He further said that all possible precautions slfould be taken where human life, was at stake, but if men refused to observe these it was hardly possible to forco precautions upon them. He would record a. vordict that deceased met his 'death by a a- fracture of the skull, caused by a fall from a wire. Ho did not consider that blame was attachable to anyone. .