Man survives 11,000 volt shock

Ambulance staff say a man is lucky to be alive after surviving a huge electrical shock at a dairy factory.

The contractor is believed to have been working at Fonterra's Edendale factory in Southland when he received the 11,000 volt shock about 11.25am yesterday.

"He received serious burns to one hand and was transferred to Burwood Hospital in Christchurch," St John ambulance spokeswoman Pauline Buchanan said today.

The man was conscious when ambulance staff arrived but had also suffered more minor burns to other parts of his body.

His clothes had been removed by colleagues.

"He is very, very lucky and should go out and buy a Lotto ticket," Ms Buchanan said.

She could not comment on how the man came to receive the shock.

A Fonterra Edendale spokesman was not immediately available to give more information.


A spokesman for Occupational Safety and Heath (OSH) Southland said he understood the man was an employee of Invercargill electrical contractors Decom.


The man had been working on cabling inside the factory when the accident happened.


OSH and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs' Energy Safety Service were investigating.


- NZPA