Charles W. Anderson rescued Asa B. Baker from electric shock, San Diego, California, February 25, 1936. Baker, 51, concrete finisher, sat on a curb at the side of a street 15 feet from a pole, from a cross-arm on which three wires charged with a current of 4, 000 volts of electricity extended to another pole. Two of the wires, which were poorly insulated, burned through and dropped to the ground, one striking Baker’s right forearm and knocking him on his back. He lay unconscious. The wire hung down from the pole and lay on his left hip and chest and against his right forearm. The other wire lay two feet from his head, and the ends of the wires were 75 feet from Baker. Anderson, 76, retired carpenter, who knew the wires were high-tension wires, ran to the walk, stepped over one of the wires, stooped over Baker, extended his right arm, put his index finger under the wire at Baker’s chest, and threw the wire from Baker. At the contact he sustained a shock and staggered and was dazed. Baker sustained a serious burn on his arm, and his arm was amputated several inches below the elbow. He recovered. Anderson’s finger was seriously burned. He recovered.
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