Man Electrocuted In Sensational Circumstances

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1949, Page 5

Man Electrocuted In Sensational Circumstances

Mm' 1 GREYMOUTH, March 18. Stepping from a motor bus in which. he was- -travelling from Blackball to work at Roa, about 7.15 a.m. today, the manager of the Paparoa State coal mine carpe into contact with an 11,000-volt electric power line, and was killed instantly in sensational circumstances. He was: John Joseuh, Queen, aged (11, married with two' children, of Blackball. Mr. Queen was one of 35 passengers in a Railway Road .Services bus taking workers to the Paparoa mine and only the rubber tyres of the bus and the warriing the men received from the death of Mr. Queen iprevented a major tragedy. The cause of the accident was a trailing line which had1 pulled away from the supporting arm on a pnwer p'ole. The line which was trailing down to within four feet of tihe ground came in contact with ifche side -of the bus as it negotiated a fcend. in the road. jjist above the

Blackball Heavy rain falling the time, . The bus was sio-pped and Mr.' Queen who was in uno w uui,k seats attempted to leave by the redr safety door apparenl-ly to ascertain the cause of thc trouble. As he stepped to the ground, still retaining contact with the bus, he was almost enveloped in flames, being killed instantly. Mr. Queen fell against the door of the bus and one of his mates, wearing sandshoes, pushed his body away from the bus. Warned by the tragedy, the other men did not attempt to leave the bus, which was insulated by its tyres, but one of them, William Coleman, jurnped clear of the vehicle on to the ground, avoiding the establishment of a circuit, and ran back to Blackball to have the power cut off. * • The other men remained in the bus for about half an hour until they were assured the power had been cut off. As a result of the accident the Blackball and Roa mines yrere1 idle today.