A FATAL FALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11572, 16 December 1915, Page 2

A FATAL FALL.

MAN KILLED IN LINCOLN ROAD. DROPS FROM ELECTRIC WIRE. An inquest was held at the Morgue last evening, before Mr 11. W. .Bishop, District Coroner, concerning the death jf Charles Wood Stevens, of 97, Madras Street, Sydenham, aai employee of the I'ublio Works Department, who fell from a ladder whilo engaged in painting tho cross ann of an electric polo on the Lincoln Road yes tor day. Percy M. Giles said that he was employed by tho Publio Works Department and was at present working on tho Lincoln. Road, painting cross arms on electric pole,-. Ho was holding ladder whilq Stevens painted tho arm, which was 25ft from tho ground. Ai about 4.30 p.m. bo heard Stevens make a. noise, as if groaning. Witness looked up arid saw that Stevens had hold «!' a live wire. He went up tho ladder and was three-parts of tho way .up when Stevens fell to tho ground, striking head foremost. Witness did not think Stevens was dead when ho reached tho ground. It was thq wrench ho mado to get free from tho live wiro that mado him fall. Tho wire carried 230 volts. Tho Coroner: What is fatal? • Mr Birks: About 1000. Continuing, witness said that Stevens probably lost his balance and caught hold of tho wiro to steady himself. Margaret Stevens, wife 0 f the deceased, said that her husband was a painter by trado and was an experienced man. Ho was aged fifty arnicas strong and healthy, not likely to be overcome by lie at or exposure to tho sun.

Herbert W. Brook, electrical forenuu> for the Public Works Department, said that Stevens was employed to paint the cross arms of tho polos on tho Lincoln Road. Stevens had boen in tho employ of tho Department about eighteen mouths, doing general painting work. He, was a first-class practical man. Special instructions were issued to employees to treat all wires as livo wires. Witness thought that the heat of tho day :md tho fumes of th« paint w-ere responsible for Stevens being overcome, causing him to lose his balance. Ho would fall about 25ft. Tho inner wire next to tho pole was a 'neutral wire, bearing no voltage. From tlio description of tho accident witness thought ' that that was tho wiro Stevens had bold of. Tho Coroner recorded a verdict that deceased died through falling from a ladder while engaged in painting an electric pole.