(NORTH HURON, ON) On Saturday July 10, 2010 at approximately 8:25 p.m., police and emergency personnel were called to a residential property on Marnoch Line west of Belgrave, where a 3 year old boy had been seriously injured as a result of a mishap involving a small wind turbine.
Investigation revealed that the 3 year old boy was playing in a yard with a group of children around a 110 ft residential wind turbine structure. The wind turbine on its 30 foot generator pole was temporarily anchored to it’s cement pad by a strap while under repairs. The force of the children playing on the the pole resulted in the strap to loosening and caused the weight of the turbine to lift the generator pole off the ground. The 3 year old boy who was sitting on the generator pole closest to the turbine, slid down the pole and landed on the pole. A second pole fell on top of him pinning him.
Parents of the children who were nearby ran over and tried to stop the generator pole from lifting, they were unable to do so. The parents immediately pulled the boy from between the two poles and the child was transported by ambulance to the Wingham Hospital. After initial treatment, preparations were made for his transport to Sick Childrens Hospital in London, but at 10:30 p.m. Logan HALLAHAN (3) of Belgrave, succumbed to his injuries.
The Huron County OPP is continuing to investigate this tragic incident.