MAN'S LUCKY ESCAPE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 2 (Supplement)

MAN'S LUCKY ESCAPE

AMAZING EXPERIENCE PERIL OF ELECTROCUTION "WHOLE BODY THROBBING" In Melbourne Hospital a week or two ago James Pomeroy, aged 20, of South Melbourne, told the thrilling story of his amazing escape from electrocution. Mr. Pomeroy said ho heard his hair singeing before he collapsed on the small platform, 200 ft. above the ground, of the transmission tower he had climbed. He said he was certain that his neck had been in contact with some part of the 20,000-volt power line. An official of the State Electricity Commission, however, said that the amazing escape seemed to suggest that Mr. Pomeroy had touched an insulator. "I was with two other lads down near the Yarra," said Mr. Pomeroy, "when I was attracted by the tower and thought I would like to climb it. I climbed up the small steel ladder, but the others would not come with me, and walked away. After reaching the lower cables, more than 200 ft. above the ground, I rested for a moment and looked down.

"Suddenly I was gripped by the side of the neck, and a brilliant flash raced around my head. My whole body was throbbing. I could hear my hair singeing, but I was still apparently stuck by the neck to the cable. "My left hand was holding a vertical girder at the side of the tower, and I saw the sleeve gradually smouldering off it. Then my legs went and I must have collapsed on the platform.

"A few minutes later I regained my senses. I did feel a bit crook, and wondered exactly what had happened. My left arm was powerless and hanging at my side, and my neck was stiff, but I thought I had better get down. I think I must have half fallen down that tower, and the worst part was when I had to climb to the outer edge of it to get outside tho small fence at the bottom. One of my cobbers came up to help me down over the last few feet. Then my first thought was to get to a chemist or a doctor, and I ran. Later I met a constable, who took me here." Mr. Pomeroy showed a big, dark lump on the side of his head and his swollen arm, burnt and blistered. He said that he did not know the cables were "alive." The short circuiting of the line caused several of the fuses at the Yarraville power-house to blow out. Perplexed officials at the station * inquired whether there had been any cases of electrocution. A person who 6aw Mr. Pomeroy touch the cable about 5.30 p.m. and collapse, rang the ambulance about the same time, but the ambulance car-driver could not find Mr. Pomeroy when he went out. The North Port police were telephoned and the constable was on his way to the transmission tower when he saw Mr. Pomeroy. An official of the commission said that Mr. Pomeroy had

had an extremely lucky escape. The case should serve as a warning to other adventurers.

Mr. Pomeroy is the son of Mr. J. Pomeroy, the originator of the Pop's pie-stall in the city, and inventor during the war of an explosive bullet, for which ho received a cheque for £25,000 from the British Government.