[Hot Snake]

... This morning, however, a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which     1     of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he     2    . A bird had snatched up the snake... When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and     3    .

He immediately asked     1     number of nearby people for bandages, but when nobody could put their     2     on any, his father got some tea towels and tape from their house. John used these to treat the most severe injuries     3     Ms Slade’s hands. He slowed the bleeding by     4     pressure to the wounds until the police and     5     arrived.