FUSION OF WIRES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13373, 6 May 1914, Page 7

FUSION OF WIRES.

EXCITING TIME IN AUCKLAND

COLLISION" OF MOTOR ENGINE

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, last night. I 1 or a short time- this afternoon there was a period of excitement and confusion m the city. A number of railway workmen engaged on telephone lines near Newmarket let a. railway telephone wire como into contact, with a wire carrying a. high voltage of the city's electrical power. The wires m the railway telephone exchange immediately fused, putting all railway telephone, telegraph, and tablet signalling systems out of operation for about fifteen miles south of the city. Tins disorganised the train service, but the pilot system was quickly established, and two "hours later trains were back at schedule.

A considerable amount of damage has apparently been done to the electrical systems, and it will be some time before it is m proper order again. When the wires fused a fire broke out m a box fixed on a pole m front of the post office, where the railway wires are gathered into a cable. This blazed fiercely, and the fire alarm was sent from the post office to the brigade station.

The Fire Superintendent, thinking there was a- fire m tho post office, brought a motor engine into crowded Queen street at 30 miles an hour. Just as the motor was approaching the Wellesley street intersection, a tram car began to swing round the corner. The driver of the big 55-horse-power motor feared a collision with the car, and tried to cross to the other side of the street and avoid it. He failed, however, to clear a tramway standard m tho centre of the street and struck the pole a violent blow. All the men were thrown off the motor on to the street, and Fireman James McKay was severely injured, and now lies m the hospital iii a serious condition. The motor was somewhat severely damaged. Tramway poles m tho centre of Queen street are frequently referred to as a grave danger.