LYING ON “LIVE” WIRE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 185, 5 July 1928, Page 2

LYING ON “LIVE” WIRE.

SHRIEKING AND MOANING

YOUTH RESCUED ALIVE.

THAMES, July 4. Roderick Fraser Langsford, a youth, was found lying across a high-tension line at the. Wesleyan Valley transformer, on the Thames Valley Power Board line near Totara .last, evening. He was first discovered by the driver of a service car, Mr. Poole, who, wisely realising that it would be extremely foolish to endeavour to remove Langsford, set oiit post-haste to the Thames police station in an endeavour to get the power cut off. This was shortly after 5 p.in. „ A Maori woman said that she heard Langsford moaning and shrieking for at least three-quarters of an hour. Sergeant McDonnell and Constable Smith went out, after giving instructions that the power should be cut off. There was some delay in locating anyone who could do this, and when the party arrived the unfortunate man was still receiving shocks. The sergeant and his helpers rushed to the Kopu Hotel, where there was a ladder which was long enough to reach the place, and brought it back as fast as possible.. In the meantime Constable Smith and Mr S. P. Crawford, a neighbouring settler, and Mr L. Griffon, borough electrical engineer, climbed on the platform with the object of rescuing Langsford. “Leaks” were flying everywhere, and the rescuers received considerable shocks. At this stage the current was cut off, and Mr W. J. Rogers, of the Power Bonrd staff at Turua, arrived, and with the assistance of several other people the youth was lowered to the ground. He was immediately rushed by car to the Thames Hospital, where he arrived in an unconscious condition. Restoration measures were applied, and it was found that he had been very severely burned on his right hand, right cheek and ear, and right thigh. Langsford is a native of Auckland, where his people live. He has been employed as a farm hand by a number of farmers around Matatoki and the coast. A fortnight ago he left the employment of Mr Fred Heaton, of Matatoki, and, in company with a companion, Robert MacGregor, set out for a holiday m Auckland, on motor cycles. Langsford’s motor cycle was found at the foot of the pole, and was brought into town. Up to the present time Langsford has been too ill to explain how he come' to climb up to the place where he was found, but that lie is an extremely lucky youth is certain, since, had a fuse not blown out higher up the valley he would have received the full force of 11,000 volts on the line. As it was he only got the shock of about 400 volts from the Wesleyan Valley line.