ELECTROCUTED

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10521, 24 February 1920, Page 5

ELECTROCUTED

TINAKORI HILLS FATALITY .RETURNED SOLDIER MEETS WITH INSTANT DEATH.

The .thickly-wooded valley directly in front of the Tinakori wireless station known as the wireless reserve, was the scene of a bad fatality at d.io a.m. yesterday, when a linesman named Albert Olsen, a young man, and a returned soldier, received a severe electric shock which caused his instantaneous death. The deceased, who is employed by the Post and Telegraph Department, was one of a sang ongaged in repairing the telephone wire connecting tho telephone exchange with tho""wireless station. There are four wires on the arms of the poles, the two outside lines bearing the 2000 volt current to the wireless station, while tho telephone wires are situated between the high tension wires. Olsen was sitting on the arm of the sixth pole from the station, handling tho telephone wire, which was loose, when the wire he was holding accidentally canie in contact with the high tension wire. Olsen dropped to tho ground ■without uttering even a cry, and was evidently killed instantaneously. His right wrist and tho first three fingers were practically burnt off, and he also sustained a large bruise behind the left ear, caused through hitting the arm when falling. Constable Harrison (who was called to the spot) and three linesmen carried the body to Tinakori road, when it was later removed to the morgue. The deceased, who resided with his parents at No. 9, Epuni street, only recently returned from active service with the AVireless Corps. He had been on active service for a period extending over three years in Mesopotamia and France. He was twenty-eight years of age, single, and only resumed work for the Post and Telegraph Department a week ago yesterday. An inquest will be held to-day.