TRAGEDY AT TAI TAPU.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17250, 18 August 1916, Page 5

TRAGEDY AT TAI TAPU.

<> LINES AIA NT ELECTR OCUTED. While working at Tai Tapu yesterday afternoon, a married man named Patrick Joseph Kerr, residing in Christchurch, and employed as a linesman by tlto Public Works Department, was electrocuted by current coming from the Lake Coleridge supply. The body was removed to the Morgue, where an inquest was held last evening, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, Coroner. Mr E. J. Howard represented deceased 8 family, and Mr L. Birks, electrical engineer of the Public Works Depart- ■ meat-, was also present. I Herbert William Brooks, engineer foreman, employed 1 by the Public • Works Department . residing at 57, ! Whitcleigh Avenue, identified the body of deceased. He said Kerr was employed by the Public "Works Department as a linesman. lie was a competent man, and understood his work. Ho was working at Tai lapn. Witness said that as far as he understood, Korr was working on a cross-hrm beneath the live wires. Kerr stood up and his head came, in contact with tho lve wire, and lie was electrocuted as lie was then standing on another dead wire connected with the earth. Kerr understood that he was not to stand up--1 Frank Patrick Meyer, ganger, .‘aid j Korr was working under hini at Tai Tapu. Ho had boon working under witness for live months. Kerr was a thoroughly competent man. Ho was . employed putting on jumpers on the j oOCO volt branch line. Witness did not • see the accident, and he left Kerr sitting on the arm on which he was workITo saw the wire fuse, and saw , Kerr fall. The whole thing happened in an instant. Koiy lia-d been work- ■ jug under similar circumstances for

j some considerable time, i To Serge?.:; t Clarkson: 0 itness could ! not give any reason why Kerr stood up. None of the men were supposed ■ to stand up, and they, all understood i this. j To Mr Howard: The earth wire ttas rut off about a foot from the insulator. Kerr bad no reason whatever to stand up. , , i To Mr P.irks: Kerr had worked on the poles right from Christchurch to , Tai Tao Ti. ... , I To .Mr Howard: Witness did not think that the platforms as used by the Christchurch Tramway Beard would be suitable for the work. 1 The Coroner said that ho. did not ' si's any reason why movable scaffolds could not be made for tho work. ; Robert Jeal said he was a linesman and was working with Kerr at the time of the accident. Witness was working with the. telephone and Ken was tapping 31X10 velt wires to the cross-wires. W itness had his back to Kerr and heard a buzzing noise. tie looked up and saw Kerr standing up. Korr bad his head on tho wire above b'm. Witness knew of no reason why Kerr should stand up. Witness assumed that Ivcrr bad finished Ins work and must have jumped up too quickly. To tiie Coroner: Witness would not have to stand up to get down from the wires. Ho had never seen Kerr stand up before. Witness was ioui off the live wires. Witness pulled Kerr bv the back of the coat and the wires fused just as he touched him. W ituess got a slight shock. ! James Nee, linesman, said .he was working near Kerr and was preparing the irons. He heard a buzzing noise | and looked bad*. Jeal had hold of j Kerr and tho wire foil. _ Witness i, knew qi no reason why Kerr should I stand no. ’ Tho Coroner returned a verdict that deceased met his death by being electrocuted through his head coming into contact with a live wire while working at Tai Tami. • 1 The Coroner added that the Public Works Department should consider the j question of making some contrivance j so as to minimise the danger to men working with the wires. Mr L. Birks said he would like to appreciate the action of Jeal in catching hold of Kerr. If the shock had j not been so great Jeal’s action would have saved Kerr’s life.