ELECTRIC BURNS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1934, Page 10

ELECTRIC BURNS

SAWMILLER'S DEATH

WHILE ERECTING RADIO MAST

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, September 3,

An inquest was held into the death of Frederick Freeth, a sawmiller, who died in Auckland Hospital on August 14, two months and a. half after receiving burns through a guy wire of a radio mast which he was erecting coming into contact with an electric power line carrying 11,000 volts.

Huntloy John Graham gave evidence that on May 26 he was on the roof of a house fixing the guy wire. Freeth took another guy wire to the back of the yard to fasten it to a fence post. Witness heard a deep buzzing sound, and on looking up saw that Freeth was affixed to the wire. Smoke and sparks were issuing from his left hand andl from that side of his body. Seeing that the guy wire had made contact with a wire supplying electric power to the mill, he pushed the mast over, breaking the contact, and Freeth fell to the ground. Medical evidence was given that an operation was performed on Freeth soon after he was admitted to hospital. The left knee joint became septic, however, owing to the burn having penetrated to the joint. The left leg was amputated, but blood-poisoning set in, with fatal results.

The Coroner found that death was due to septicaemia arising from electric burns received while the deceased was erecting a wireless mast.