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As a Nelson teenager remains in a life-threatening condition after suffering a massive electric shock from an overhead power line, her family has thanked the local community for their support.
The 16-year-old girl was flown to Auckland's Middlemore Hospital on Tuesday night after receiving a shock from a 33,000 volt power line at the Nelson Electricity substation on Hastings St.
She was today reported to be in a critical condition on life support, after having extensive surgery on Wednesday.
The girl's father told the Nelson Mail the family had been contacted by "heaps of people", whom he wanted to thank for their offers of support.
The girl had climbed a fence to enter the substation, before climbing a 10m pylon.
Patrons at the nearby Charlies Tavern saw her dangling from the power line before she fell to the ground.
But how and why she scaled the pylon remains a mystery.
Detective Pat Nally, of Nelson CIB, said police visited the substation on Wednesday morning.
They took photographs of where the incident happened, and interviewed witnesses but could not yet say why the girl went to the substation.
Nelson Electricity general manager Phil Goodall said the case was being investigated by Energy Safety, the Ministry of Economic Development's unit which works to ensure the safe supply of use of electricity and gas in New Zealand.
Mr Goodall said the fence met safety standards and had been replaced last year.
- NZPA
