A FATAL OVERSIGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18897, 20 December 1924, Page 13

A FATAL OVERSIGHT.

THE MANGAHAO ACCIDENT. SWITCH LEFT CLOSED. DEATH FROM SKULL FRACTURE. [BY TELKGHAPHrBESS ASSOCIATION.] PALMEESTON NORTH. Friday. An inquiry into circumstances surrounding the death, on December 10, at the public hospital, of William Russell . Matthews, aged 23, who was injured in an accident at the Mangahao electric powerhouse, was opened to-day. Evidence was given that deceased's injuries were burns and fracture of the base of the skull, the latter causing death. Charles E. Broad, representative. of the British firm concerned with Mangahao, said it had been decided to carry out certain tests with tho electrical equipment at the power-house from 7.30 a.m., and witness duly made preparations. Deceased and another man, Arthur Hosking, assisted, as they did on previous occasions. Witness" examined the apparatus to see that all the switches were clear. Then he instructed deceased and Hosking to procure a short-circuiting bar to be placed on tho isolating switch at No. 4 alternator. Witness had doubt if the bar could be placed on particular switches and told his assistant that some other means would be necessary for short-cir-cuiting. Deceased mounted a ladder and asked if the bus-bars were ''dead." Witness said "yes." as ho was sure they did not carry current. Hosking gave deceased a short-circuiting bar. As soon as deceased grasped it lie turned as if about to place it in position. At that moment a severe arc took place across the switch blades of the open switch. Witness tried to catch deceased, by his clothing, but failed and deceased fell heavily to the floor, a distance of Bft. When the instructions wero given to the deceased witness thought the switches were as dead as they possibly could be. Ho was quite sure that everything was safe. After the accident he found the connection to have been made by a switch remaining closed. He remembered it afterwards. To the coroner witness said it had not occurred to his mind that the switch mentioned was part and parcel of the apparatus affected by the job. Hosking stated in evidence that they had been told by Mr. Broad always to examino the apparatus. On this occasion he and deceased failed to do so. The coroner said he would not comment upon the evidence further than to say that no doubt the deceased met his death through the oversight of Mr. Broad in failing to examine tho wires connected with tho apparatus dealt with right back to the generator before the job was started. It was a regrettable oversight, too, on the part of deceased and his fellow mechanic On this occasion they had failed to observe Mr. Broad's instructions that they should satisfy . themselves of the safety of the apparatus before using it.

A verdict was returned that deceased died from fracture of the skull, caused by coming into contact with live apparatus and falling to a concrete floor.