OPERATOR'S FATE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23274, 17 February 1939, Page 9

OPERATOR'S FATE

SUB-STATION FATALITY

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

50,000-VOLT CARRIER TOUGHED

[by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] ■WHANGAREI, Thursday

A verdict that- death was due to shock following extensive burns received when he accidentally cam© in,, contact with a high-voltage electric - current, was returned at an inquest at Whangarei to-day into the death of Herbert Cleminson Young. Deceased, a married man, was the relieving operator at the Mareretu elec- ~ trical sub-station of the Public Works , Department, and while painting electrical equipment on the afternoon of January 27, he suffered severe burns. Oscar Chamberlain, a distribution engineer stationed at Penrose, said , that after receiving word of the mis- * hap he proceeded to Mareretu and ex* ' amined tho equipment where deceased had been working. Deceased had been , standing on a 6tep-ladder painting a 2 part of the equipment when he came in contact with a 50,000-volt, carrier. , Instructions Hot Followed i

Contrary to all instructions he had ■ not first isolated and earthed the high tension equipment before starting the ; work. If these instructions had been carried out deceased could not ; possibly have received any harm. " There was one operator at the substation. Two linesmen lived near by but these men were away all day. It, was part of the operator's duty to. paint and maintain the equipment. | Mrs. Hilda Pilcher, wife of a lines-,,; man living near the sub-station, said * that on the afternoon in question she • was walking to their garage when she., saw deceased staggering round with.', all his upper clothes burned from him and his trousers aflame. Witness put out the flames with a bucket of water and telephoned for the doctor. While ~ waiting she helped deceased into tho-. station building and made him as comfortable as possible. For the greater - part of the time before the doctor's • arrival deceased was unconscious.' Woman's Action Praisedl -K

In giving his decision, the district coroner, Mr. G. H. Morrish, said that Mrs. Pilcher was to be. commended on the very prompt manner . in which she had attended 'to deceased. She had done everything. possible and if the burns had been less severe her actions might have been the cause of saving a life. Mr. R. Milne, engineer of the Post - and Telegraph Department, watched - proceedings at the inquest on be- -, half of the Government.