A. Roger Kratz, 19, school teacher, saved Earl M. Moyer, 5, from electric shock, Silverdale, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1912. Earl grasped a sagging electric-light wire conducting a current of 6,600 volts and was instantly rendered unconscious and knocked to the ground, where he lay with his hand in contact with the wire. Kratz ran to the wire and, having observed what appeared to be a blue flame at Earl’s hand, struck the wire with the palm of his hand and caused it to swing away from Earl’s hand. He again struck it lightly in order to prevent it from again touching Earl. Earl was carried from the scene and was revived. He was seriously burned, and one thumb and two fingers had to be amputated. Kratz was not shocked, and it is believed that the contact with Earl had caused a ground that threw an automatic switch at the powerhouse, cutting off the current. 9653-1152
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