Superintendent Lane Todd said the incident was a reminder of the dangers of power infrastructure. File photo: Getty ImagesChristchurch police are investigating the electrocution of a man who is believed to have been attempting to take copper from a transformer. Power was automatically cut to 513 properties in Burwood and surrounding areas, but the linesman had to manually cut power to the transformer. "We are making a number of enquiries, however it appears the man may have been attempting to retrieve copper from the transformer," Todd said. "Emergency services were unable to reach the man immediately as the transformer was still live.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 24, 2026 07:39 UTC