RESCUED FROM POLE AFTER SHOCK

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5280, 17 December 1946, Page 5

RESCUED FROM POLE AFTER SHOCK

( Pre.ss Assn.-

RESPIRATION FAILS WORKMATE LATER DIES AT HOME

~By Telegravfv—xJopyripht.)

AUCKLAND, Last" Night. > A tragic accident, which resuited ia the death of two employees of the Auckland City Engineer's Department, occurred to-day when an electrician who had climbed a telegraph pole to attach the leads to a welding plant came in' contact with the wires. A fellow-worker, who went up, brought liim down successfully, but the man subsequently died. Severn] hours later, his rescuer, after apparently coming out of the ordeal none the worse, also succumbed. Mr. Arthur Coyle, an electrician attached to the department, aged 30, had climbed the pole to hook up the power supply with the nxeter box and switches on ground level. The power was reauired for welding work in conxxection with the new pipe line the City Council was constructing. Mr. Coyle's coxxxpanion, Mx*. B. T. Speer, Council electrieal forenxan, xxoticed about 8.30 a.rn. that the conxxection appeared to have been made satisfaetorily, bi|4 a few minutes later when he glanced up at the pole, he saw Coyle thrown across the line, descx'ibed as three phase and neutx*al wires of 460 volts capacity. "I climbed up the ladder standing against the pole and had a hard job dragging him away," said Mr. Speer. "Later I called for ropes and when they came and I had him disentangled from the ladder and' wires I lifted him clear and carried him to the ground." Then, while Speer applied first aid, the men on the job sent for an aixxbulanee and doctor. Dx% McGeorge coixsidered it essential for artificial respiration attempts to continue without interruptioix and nearby residents lxxade a bedroom available for the treatment. A long battle for Coyle's life began, but he died shortly after 1 p.m. The man who rescued his workmate from the top of the ladder, Mr. Speex*, died at his home to-night. Mx*. Speer was aged about 43. He also assisted with thcr artificial respiration which failed to revive the injured man, and was -to-day showing signs c*f the strain he had been through.