MECHANIC ELECTROCUTED.
THROUGH A DAMP PIT.
(By Telegraph. — Press Association). GORE, May 18. A mechanic, William George Lovejoy, aged 17, employed in Ford's garage, Gore, was electrocuted yesterday evening. He was working in a damp pit when the electric lamp he was using short-circuited, resulting in his electrocution.
Doctors were immediately summoned and artificial respiration was applied but failed. An oxygen cylinder was used for 2 1/2 hours without avail. -Thames Star, 18/5/1924.
DEATH OF W. G. LOVEJOY
CORONER’S INQUEST.
SHOCK FROM LAMP.
YESTERDAY’S EVIDENCE.
An inquest relative to the death of William George Lovejoy, who was electrocuted at Gore on Tuesday evening, was held at the Gore Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon. Mr A. Martin, District Coroner, presided. Sergeant Packer conducted proceedings on behalf of the police. Mr D. L. Poppelwell appeared for the insurance companies, and Mr A. L. Dolamore for the relatives of the deceased.
William Lovejoy, father of the deceased, stated that his son was 17 years and seven months old, and was an apprentice working for Fords (Ltd.), Gore. Witness was also working at Fords. Witness was about four feet away when the accident occurred. Deceased was with others overhauling a motor car. The transmission cover had to be lifted off, and in doing so a bolt fell off and rolled into the pit. The boards were lifted off, and when they found the bolt they decided to fix it on while the car was partly over the pit. A long steel brace spanner was used by the deceased. During the proceedings witness herd two exclamations, “Oh, oh.” Witness pushed the car back and found his son lying backwards with his head on the concrete. He called out for someone to ring for the doctor. When he heard the exclamations he knew someone was in pain. The extension lamp produced was the one used while fixing the car. As soon as he got his son out of the pit he got the extension cable away from the cable drum. He had used the same lamp on many occasions, and never had any trouble with it. His son had been in good health, and although he had an attack of mumps he did not return to work until the doctor gave permission. It was always safer to use a shield on the hand lamp. He assisted in artificial respiration till 7.30 o'clock. Dr Watters gave evidence to the effect that on arrival he started artificial respiration and the usual restorative measures. He asked for medical assistance and Dr Lillie shortly after arrived. They met with no success. He was satisfied death was due to heart failure from electric shock. The deceased was perfectly healthy and not likely to die from heart failure without shock.
Leslie Allott, an apprentice at Ford’s garage, said he was assisting to repair the car. He was holding the electric extension lamp. The deceased went into the pit to tighten up the nuts and bolts. Witness was holding the nuts and lamp on the top. The lamp was alight all the time, and he was holding it in order to see how to place the nuts. They fixed a nut on one side of the car and then went to the other side. When they were putting on the second bolt he heard something and he heard Gregory, who was working at the back of the car, call out, “Switch off the light.” Witness heard deceased groan, and at the same moment he heard deceased’s feet splash in the water. The lamp produced was the one that was used. He did not think the lamp touched the car. He held it in his hand all the time. He had never seen the guard on the lamp.
Alexander Gregory, another apprentice, gave corroborative evidence. He felt a slight shock at the moment he called out to switch off the light. The deceased’s father switched off the light, and witness assisted to push the car back. Witness had a slight shock on a previous occasion. This time he thought the lamp had come into contact with the car.
David Dunham, engineer for the Power Board, said he failed on examination to find any defect in the cord and no part of the wire was sufficiently damaged to be exposed. He was able to get a distinct shock from the cap of the lamp, which was in metallic contact with the lamp holder or lamp socket. On examination of the lamp holder he found that one of the wires had been so connected as to make contact with the brass exterior portion of the lamp holder. If the hand lamp were placed in such a position on the car that the brass lamp cap touched any metal portion of the car, a man making contact between any other metal portion of the car and the ground simultaneously would receive a shock. If the lamp guard produced had been fitted on the present lamp, the brass cap mentioned would have been far less likely to come in contact with any metallic object. If the holder had been correctly wired, a shock could not have been attained by touching the brass lamp cap. The defect, in the wiring of the lamp holder could not be seen without removing the cap. It was not. visible to a casual observer, but could have been detected by testing. The fact of water being in the pit would intensify the shock to a great extent. Momentary contact with lines of that voltage was not considered dangerous to a normally healthy man except under special circumstances. In his opinion if the brass lamp cap was allowed to come into contact with a metallic portion of the car, the current could thus go through the car and also through any person coming in contact with the car and the ground simultaneously.
David S. McKenzie, manager of Fords, also gave evidence. He said no one ever reported to him about having received shocks, and no defect of the lamp had ever been reported to him. He was unable to find out who wired the lamp up. The lamp cost £3 10/- in 1924, and was supposed to be up-to-date. He knew as a fact that mechanics working in garages often received shocks off electric drills and very little notice was taken of it.
The Coroner returned the following verdict: "That William George, Lovejoy on May 17 died from heart failure as a result of electric shock owing to an electric lamp accidentally coming into contact with a motor car on which he was working.” -Southland Times, 20/7/1927.
No comments:
Post a Comment