ELECTRIC SHOCKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 287, 7 May 1914, Page 6

ELECTRIC SHOCKS.

DISTURBANCE IN AUCKLAND. A FIRE ENGINE COLLISION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Wednesday. For a short time this afternoon there was a period of excitement and eonfusion in the city. A number of railway workmen were engaged on the telephono lines near the Newmarket railway station, when a telephone wire camn into contact with a wire carrying the high voltage of the city electrical power house. Wires in the railway telephone exchange immediately fused, putting alt the railway telephone, telegraph, and tablet signalling systems out of operation for about fifteen miles south of the city. This disorganised the train services, but a pilot system was quickly established, and two hours late? the trains were back to schedule. A considerable amount, of damage ha-s apparently been done to tlie electrical system, and it will be some time before thev are in proper order again. When the wires fused a fire broke out in a box fixed on the pole in front ot the post office, where the railway wires are gathered into a cable. This blazed fiercely and a fire alarm was sent from the post ofiice to the brigade station. The fire in tlie post office 'brought the motor engine into Queen street, which was crowded, at 30 miles an hour. Just as the, motor was approaching the W«l----leslcy -street intersection a tramcar began to swing round the corner. The driver of the big 45-liorse-power motor feared a collision with the car and tried to cross to the other side of the street to avoid it. He failed, however, -o clear the tramway standard in tlie centre of the street and striifk the pole a violent blow. All the men were thrown off the motor on to the street, and Fireman James Mackay was severely injured and now lies in the (hospital in a serious condition. The other nion li:id a miraculous escape. The motor was severe)v damaged. The tramway noles in the centre of Queen street ars frequcntlv rcferred to as a grave danger.