HEART FAILURE, DUE TO SHOOK

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2339, 8 January 1926, Page 3

HEART FAILURE, DUE TO SHOOK

POWER EMPLOYEE’S DEATH. At the Feilding Courthouse yesterday, an inquest was held Into the circumstances surrounding the death ot Joseph Daniel Southee, an emp’oyee of the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board, who was killed while working on a pole carrying high tension wires in Manchester street on Wednesday afternoon. The Coroner (Mr. Edmund Goodbehere) presided, Sergeant Cahil! conducted the inquiry and Mr. T. B. Merson, the Board's resident engineer in Peilding, was also present. Francis Cecil Spooner linesman, employed by th e Power Board, stated that he knew the deceased, who was a pole fitter. Southee was engaged in fitting an arm to a pole at the Manchester street sub-station. Witness and other members of the gang were working about two chains away from the pole on which deceased was working. About three minutes before witness appreciated Southee was in trouble, be saw him unscrewing a bolt in the arm which was being removed and when he looked up again he saw deceased laying back on a live wire, supported by his safety belt. Witness did not immediately realise that deceased was in trouble, but it was only a matter of seconds when he saw deceased throw up an arm. Witness called to the other men and Turner ran to the ladder. At the same moment, Henderson, the foreman arrived, took the gloves and cut the wires. Deceased was then lowered on to the roof of a verandah, where artificial respiration was applied, without success. Witness could not say whether Southee was dead or alive when moved to the verandah. There was a burn on' the ball of the thumb and the base of the forefinger of the right hand. Deceased’s arm fell too quickly for witness to say whether Southee had touched one of the high tension wires. Witness had 'seen Southee on similar work and In his opinion there should not have, been any danger. Witness had been employed with the Power Board for five months. The wires on the pole on which deceased was working ware insulated and provided proper care was used, there was no danger. There was no bare wire where deceased was working. Deceased must got a shock from the binder, j Dr. F. Cameron stated that deceased was dead when he arrived at the scene of the accident and he knew that artificial respiration had been tried. There was a burn on the right thumb and also on the right fore-finger at the base and a burn on the inner side of the left thigh. The clothing was burned in this region and the burn was circular, about three-quarters of an inch in diameter. This burn had penetrated to the fat and the hole in the trousers corresponded with the size of the burn on the limb. The burns on the fingers suggested that jthey were caused by touching a live wire. Witness could not offer any explanation as to the cause of the other iburn Death was due to heart failure, as a result of an electrical shock. William Henry Turner, linesman, employed by the Power Board, cordoborated ihe evidence of the witness Spooner and said that the deceased was sitting on an arm between two sets of wires. Witness could not account for the accident. Deceased may have over-balanced and put up his hand to save himself. The wires above deceased's head had been up a number of years and although insulated, may have become exposed through the elements. The work was dangerous and the only precaution for this work was body belts. There was no necessity to wear gloves when fitting arms. Deceased may have grasped at the wire above him for support. All precautions had been taken to ensure the safety of the men. Deceased was a careful man and he was not in the habit of taking risks. To the Coroner: Witness did not think there was anything to b e done to prevent such fatalities. As far as he could see, everything possible was don e to minimise accidents and when, they did occur it was just a matter of ill-luck. Alfred Hector Henderson, foreman ganger, said that he had been employed by the Power Board for two years and had had previous experience. When he got to deceased, he was breathing and his pulse was beating. Deceased did not speak. Witness severed the wires and assisted in getting Southee on th c verandah. All such work was dangerous, in spite of the exercise of every care. There was no need to wear gloves for the work Southee was doing; they would be too cumbersome. Gloves were always available when required. Witness could not say what caused the accident and he was not in a position to form an opinion. It was possible for deceased to overbalance and throw up his arm which might have come in contact with a wire. The insulation and binding on these wires wasold and worn. All wires were insulated and as a matter of fact these wires were being renewed. They were not introducing any extra precautions, as everything possible was done to avoid accidents. The only way to avoid accidents while on such work was to cut off the supply. Deceased was a very capable man and did not make any complaint of dangeer. Ho had done more dangerous work than that on which ho was engaged when the fatality occurred.

Constable John A. Elstone gave formal evidence. The Coroner said that there was only one conclusion to come to that deceased met his death through coming into (contact with an electrical wire. Th e evidence pointed to the fact that every precaution had been ased to prevent such accidents and none of the witnesses could suggest any extra precautions. In spite of the exercise of every care, there was al-

ways a great danger present and it was a sad thing for a man’s life to be cut off so suddenly. There was no blame attachable to anyone and the verdict would bo in accordance with the medical testimony. Th 0 funeral of the late Mr. Southee will leave his late residence, 44 Grey street. Feilding,, at 1 p.m., to-day for the Palmerston North cemetery.