NARROW ESCAPE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 June 1929, Page 5

NARROW ESCAPE.

CARPENTER’S TENNIS SHOES SAVE TRAGEDY. By Telegraph - Press Assn.-Copyright.! PALMERSTON N., This Day. The power supply failed for about 11 minutes at a busy hour yesterday afternoon causing inconvenience to show exhibitors ami shop-keepers in the town. Tne supply was soon restored, but few people realised that deatii piearly claimed a- victim and it was Hie sudden operating of the .uitomatbswitch at the Dover Board’s snb-staj tion that prevented a grim tragedy. A' carpenter cmplioyoid at the JV'cezing works at Feilding, named J. Whisker, was engaged on repairs on one building that had been damaged in the recent earthquake. The 11,000 volts lines to the freezing works sub-station ran close to the corner of the building, and while Whisker was handling a length of drwnpipo on the scaffold it' overbalanced and fell on the 11,000 Ivolt wires with a Hash and a roar. As Waikarenioana and Mangahaa are fed V.dth about 60,00 C horse power the ( short circuit melted holes in the pipe still held by Whisker, who undoubtedly escaped being electrocuted by the fact that he was on a tall wooden scaffold and wore tennis shoes with rubber soles. Although suffering from shock he escaped Without burns and is at work to-day apparently none the worse after an extremely lucky escape from death.