Kiwi died due to inexperience
Young New Zealander electrocuted on Boston Subway probably died due to inexperience of electrified railways
30 August 2004
A lack of overseas experience is being cited in the death of a New Zealand man in Boston.
Matthew Gallagher was electrocuted after stepping onto subway tracks.
The 22-year-old Aucklander was looking for dropped change in the subway track pit with friend Craig Jonas when he brushed the side of an electrified line carrying 600 volts of electricity.
The two had just finished working at a summer camp for children.
Camp owner Howard Salzberg says the fact the two did not have much experience of underground rail may have contributed to the tragedy.
New Zealand railways are largely powered by overhead electric cables or by diesel, rather than the third rail electrification systems which are widely used in US and European urban rail networks.
© 2010 NZCity, IRN
