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Farmer killed in electrical accident

Posted on November 16, 2009, 4:04pm and updated on November 18, 2009 at 1:00 pm

The tragic death of Kalangadoo farmer Andrew Childs, 44, who was electrocuted on Monday morning, has stunned the Lower South East agricultural community.

Emergency services were called to a property five kilometres from Kalangadoo on the Nangwarry Road just after 10am, where the man was found dead on arrival.

Investigators believe he was killed while operating a self-propelled boom sprayer that caught on overhead power lines, sending 33,000 volts of electricity through the machine.

His body was found between a 4WD and the spray unit, which had caught alight and was burning profusely when SA Ambulance Service crews arrived.

The blaze and subsequent chemical threat initially made it impossible for paramedics to access the victim.

It took firefighters with three CFS appliances 20 minutes to extinguish the fire, which caused about $500,000 damage and destroyed the spray unit.

Wattle Range CFS group officer Mike Kemp said the man appeared to have been transferring fluid from the 4WD into the unit when one of the metal arms touched the high voltage line.

Mr Kemp said between 1000 and 2000 litres of nitrogen fertiliser spilled out of the burning sprayer.

The electrocution temporarily interrupted power supply to nearby properties, but minimal damage was caused to the power line.

South East police operations manager Sgt Andy Stott said the police officer in charge at Kalangadoo would prepare a report forthe Coroner.

Safework SA investigators also attended the scene.

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