A NARROW ESCAPE

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2305, 1 March 1930, Page 4

A NARROW ESCAPE

SEVERE ELECTRIC SHOCK.

MR H. C. OATEN INJURED. . A very narrow escape from being electrocuted was experienced by Mr Herbert C. Oaten, local Power Board engineer, in the early hours of this morning. As the result of a severe shock from a 3000-volt line Mr Oaten sustained .-. severe injury to his head, while the fingers of his left hand were slightly burnt, and he also injured his spine. It appears that during the night Mr Oaten, assisted by Messrs Geo. Walker and H. Nelson, was carrying out alterations at the Leamington sub-station, to the switchboard which operates the supply of current tcTtlu' Monavale district. The precaution had been taken to cut out the Roto o rangi district board as well as the Monavale board, but so as to cause as little, interruption as possible the Cambridge board was left active, it being considered that there was sufficierit room to work in About 1 a.m, Mr Oaten wal up on a short ladder at work, when his head momentarily came into contact with a poit-'on of the apparatus on the Cambridge board connected with the live 3000-volt line. In a flash contact was made arid Mr Oaten was flung off the ladder about six feet in the air to fall heavily on the concrete floor of the station. Being rendered unconscious Dr Bitchie was immediately sent for, and was promtly at the station. After rendering first aid Mr Oaten was conveyed to his home, and he remained in a semi-conscious condition for several hours.

It is fairly cvirieut that the point of contact was the back of the head, and apparently while', on the ladder MrOaten was holding on to a steel bracket with his left hand, thus completing a circuit sufficiently to cause a severe shock. Besides the severe burn on the back of the head and the fingers, Mr Oaten gave his back a severe wrench when he fell. Possessed of a strong constitution Mr "Oaten had entirely thrown off the effects of the shock to- his system when interviewed by an Independent representative later this morning, and was generally progressing well. It is to be hoped that the injury to the back is no more serious -than, appears to be at present. - Mr Oaten-stated that he remembered practically nothing after the shock,' except that he had a dim knowledge that he was being conveyed in a motor car. '','■ The two men who were working with Mr' Oaten are fairly certain that he contact was caused through the engineer raising his head, while on the ladder. Under all the circumstances Mr Oaten had a very narrow escape and had the accident occurred while standing on the floor of the station, the shock might have been strong enough to cause b fatality. This is the second severe shock Mr Oaten has experienced while in Cambridge.