POWER BREAK

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1939, Page 2

POWER BREAK

COPPER, WIRE AS KITE STRING

(Per Press Association—Copyright).

CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 22

This morning someone flew a kite with tine copper wire, instead of string attached to it, over the 11,000 volt feeder which carries electric power from Addington to Woolston for the Christchurch-Lytteltoii electrified railway. The kite string came down across this feeder wire, and the 1500 volt overhead gear of the rail way line. The electric power was Interrupted and the electric train services were delayed. A railway employee narrowly escaped a fatal electric shock, and members of the publio were exposed to the same risk. The interruption to the power supply came just about 10 a.m. Patrol officers oi' of the P.W.D. immediately set out tc, find the cause of the break, and the crossing keeper at Elisor’s Hoad provided the necessary clue, when he informed the patrol that he had seen an electric flash some distance down the line. A train which pulled into Woolston station carried a further clue to to the cause of the stoppage, because it was trailing a long length of fine cotton covered copper wire. Meanwhile a further length of this wire had been found by patrols hanginc from overhead railway wires. Because it looked like a piece of string, the suspended length of wire was not at first regarded with suspicion, and a railway surfaceman was about to pull it down. Fortunately—for the hanging wire was then carrying 1500 volts—ar electrical cauipment officer warned him not to touch it.