TERRIBLE BURNS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 209, 4 September 1934, Page 6

TERRIBLE BURNS

CONTACT WITH POWER LINE YOUTH'S DEATH IN HOSPITAL. I Per Frew A.s«cclaUon. J AUCKLAND, Sept. 3. A:i inquest was held into the death of Frederick Freeth, sawmiller, aged 16, wh?F died in the Auckland Hospital on August 14, two and a half months after receiving burns through the guy wire of a radio mast he was erecting coming into contact with an electric power line carrying 11,000 volts at Huntley. John Graham gave, evidence that on May 26 he was on the roof of a house fixing a guy wire. Freeth took another guy w’re to the back of the yard to fasten it to a fence post. Witness heard a deep buzzing sound, and on looking up saw that Freeth was affixed to the wire. Smoke and sparks were issuing from his left hand and from the side of his body. Seeing that the guy wire had made contact with the wire supplying electric, power to the mill, he pushed the mast over, breaking the contact. and Freeth fell to the ground. Medical evidence was given that an operation was performed on deceased soon after he was admitted to the hospital. The left knee joint became sceptic, however, owing to the burn having penetrated the joint. The left leg was amputated, but blood poisoning set in. with fatal results. The coroner found that death was due to septicaemia arising from electric burns received while deceased was erecting a wireless mast.