27 August 2010

Safety Warning Follows Electrocution
of Welland Man

Wainfleet Ontario - People should never assume hydro transformers on railway property aren't in use, or are inactive, said Canadian Pacific Railway spokeswoman Breanne Feigel.
 
She said doing so could result in serious injuries or a fatality, like the death early Wednesday of a 33-year-old Welland man who was electrocuted after attempting to steal copper wire from a transformer box.
 
Niagara Regional Police said the man, whose name has still not been released, was electrocuted at the ground-level transformer box after he and two others made their way down a gravel road that runs parallel to train tracks and Lambert Road, off Phillips Road, and allegedly broke into it.
 
At 12:15 a.m., police received a 911 call from one of the people involved informing them of the incident.
 
Darryll Smith, 36, and Laura Stanyar, 39, both of Welland, are charged with theft under $5,000. The two were released from police custody on a promise to appear in court.
 
Commenting on Wednesday's tragedy from her Calgary office, Feigel said, "the box was clearly marked with signage saying high voltage, and it was locked as well. This person had to break into it. This is an unfortunate situation."
 
She said Canadian Pacific has to deal with copper wire theft from its properties across the country and works with local authorities and its own police service to prevent such crimes.
 
People who access Canadian Pacific property can be hit with a trespassing charge that can carry up to a $10,000 fine if the company decides to exercise its rights.
 
Criminal charges can also be brought against a person, depending on what they have done on the property.
 
While it was a transformer box targeted near the company's yard in Wainfleet, Feigel said telecommunication and signal boxes have been hit by thieves as well.
 
Dave Johnson.