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Calls to re-investigate electrocution of Shirley Nate from downed BC Hydro line

Allegations surface blaming the District of Kent for the 2015 death of Harrison Mills woman
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Shirley Nate of Harrison Mills died of severe injuries five weeks after she came into contact with a live, low-hanging hydro wire. Six years later, her family continues to seek justice. (Contributed Photo)

It’s been six years since Shirley Nate was fatally injured by a live, sagging power line while walking her dogs in Harrison Mills – and her friends and family are calling for a new investigation into the circumstances of her death.

Shirley Nate, then 60, was walking her dogs on a path near Kilby Park in the Harrison Mills area on Oct. 18, 2015, shortly after a windstorm blew through the area.

In a lawsuit filed by Nate’s parents against the District of Kent and BC Hydro, the long-time Harrison Mills resident passed near a low-hanging, live hydro line that was reportedly hanging two feet off the ground in a harvested cornfield.

At the time, Nate’s neighbours suspected that she entered nearby bushes where the power line was exposed to retrieve her dogs, who may have ventured off the path to follow the scent of a dead raccoon. The dogs were killed when they went into the high-voltage area.

Nate was badly burned from the electricity arcing from the downed line. She yelled and managed to attract the attention of nearby campers, Heike and Juergen Wiegand. The couple stayed with Nate until an ambulance arrived.

Both of Nate’s arms had to be amputated and she underwent multiple skin grafts and seven surgeries, enduring five weeks of treatment in the Vancouver General Hospital intensive care unit. While Nate was doing well at first, she ultimately succumbed to her injuries at the hospital on Nov. 25, 2015.

While the civil court case remains ongoing, a recent resurgence in public interest has prompted the RCMP to reach out to the Nate family to determine if there are grounds to investigate her death again.

“If there is new information or evidence, obviously we will reassess,” Sgt. Krista Vrolyk told Black Press Media. “If there is no new information or evidence that surfaces, it is not likely to be reopened. We are guided by the information and evidence we have.”

Allegations and rumours shared on social media circulated the idea that district employees were encouraged to obscure circumstances surrounding Nate’s death. In a statement on Tuesday (Oct. 26), District of Kent Mayor Sylvia Pranger denied those claims, saying staff members were directed to provide “the facts and not their opinions” to the RCMP.

As the matter is before the courts, Pranger did not comment on the accusations made by Nate’s family.

“Justice for Shirley Nate” has set up a a Change.org petition, looking for signatures to advocate for an inquest from the B.C. Coroner Service. As of Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 26), the petition has gained 189 signatures.

A coroner’s inquest is a formal court proceeding with a jury of five to seven people, held to publicly review the circumstances of a death.

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Lawsuit points to District of Kent, BC Hydro

According to the notice of civil claim, Nate’s family said both the District of Kent and BC Hydro are at fault for Shirley’s injuries and death.

They said the District of Kent and BC Hydro are both responsible for maintenance and safety in the area and alleged that district employees knew about the downed power line before Shirley was injured, and “failed to take adequate action to have the line repaired, to warn people of the danger it presented and to prevent them from entering the area.”

The documents said BC Hydro was also at fault for failing to have an adequate system in place to detect the downed power line or, if a system was in place, they failed to adhere to safety protocols.

The district denied all allegations. Court defence documents maintain the district is not responsible for the location of the downed line.

“The district did not know, was unaware and had no means of becoming aware that the power line was downed,” the documents read.

In 2015, then-mayor John Van Laerhoven told The Observer that district staff were unaware of the problem prior to the incident. Van Laerhoven said the district was too large to check on all areas following the storm that reportedly knocked the line down.

RELATED: Woman electrocuted, dogs killed in bizarre accident

The district said in a statement Tuesday (Oct. 26) that while it was aware of downed trees in the area, staff did not know of any downed power lines.

“The district staff member who worked in the area on Friday reported a tree down on the dike, which was discussed at a Friday meeting,” Mayor Pranger said in a statement.

In BC Hydro’s own response to the lawsuit, the Crown corporation acknowledged that Nate died as a result of injuries, but denies they were at fault. BC Hydro said it routinely conducts inspections along power lines, including the Kilby area and had “no notice of a sagging or downed power line prior to the accident occurring.”

The hydro company argues that the district failed to respond to alerts that the sagging power line was down and failed to report the issue.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

RELATED: Power line victim remembered

Six years later, Harrison Mills woman remembered by many

To mark six years since her death, Nate’s family and friends attended a ceremony at the Kilby boat launch on Oct. 17.

Nate is remembered for her love of animals and athletics. She was born in Vancouver, raised in Burnaby and worked for many years at the Vancouver Post Office. She spent her last few years in Harrison Mills, surrounded by many pets.

The district has confirmed there are no further court dates or updates at this time, and issued no further comment due to ongoing litigation.

If you see a downed or dangerous power line, call 911 immediately and keep at least 10 metres away (or the length of a city bus).