SHOCK AND BURNS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 9 December 1938, Page 3

SHOCK AND BURNS

INJURY TO LINESMAN WORK ON 11,000 VOLT LINE i United Press Association! PUKEKOHE, 7th December. J Coming into contact in some unknown way with the 11.000-volt power lines between Drury and Ramarama, Mr Sidney | Clews, jun., of Pukekohe, a Franklin I Power Board linesman, suffered shock J and severe burns about the bead and | shoulders on Wednesday. He fell .about j 20ft to the ground and suffered a broken, wrist as a result. Mr Clews went out at about 5 a.m. to endeavour to locale the cause of trou- i ble which was occurring on the line. He went up a pole to make an examination, meanwhile cutting off the power from the low-tension lines which the poles there also carry, and which are about 7ft | below the 11,000-volt cables. About three hours later he was not- | iced by a farmer, Mr C. Woods, lying across the low-tension wires. Mr Woods j called to him, but received no reply. He telephoned the power board’s engineer, Mr L. G. Sharp. Dr. A. I. Begg, of Pukekohe, and Dr. G. W. Locke, of Papa- | kura, arrived within half an hour and it j was found that the injured man had fallen from the power line to the ground. | Mr Clews was in a semi-conscious condition. An ambulance was summoned from Auckland, Mr Sharp setting out for the city with Mr Clews in his car. The ambulance was met at Manuwera. Mr Clews was transferred to it and admitted to the Auckland Hospital. His condition was stated to be serious.