ELECTRIC STORM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 June 1939, Page 8

ELECTRIC STORM

WORST FOR MANY YEARS ALARMING EXPERIENCE IN HAMILTON DISTRICT WOMAN KNOCKED FROM CHAIR I United Presß Association! HAMILTON, This Day. ! The worst electric storm experienced in Hamilton for many years ocurred on Sunday, when, especially in the Fairfield district, several alarming experiences were recorded. In one instance a telephone was torn from the wall and completely shattered, and at the same time lightning struck the wireless aerial which vanished as a fork of flame ran along the lead-in, striking a bed which became enveloped in flames. In another home lightning struck a radio which was set on fire and damaged beyond repair, and several crystal tumblers were smashed as lightning struck a sideboard. Telephones were put out of commission throughout the district and windows in several homes were broken from concussion of the severest thunder in memory. Electric power services were interrupted and tlu emergency plant had to be requisitioned at Waikato Hospital. A fire ball hit a paddock at Fairfield and forked lightning travelled along the fences. One woman was knocked from a chair by a lightning flash, hut no one is reported in the dictrict injured, although one woman bad an alarming experience when an iron was struck by lightning and fused. Torrential rain in the afternoon was ae companied by a short but severe hailstorm.