By Michael Veloh
Three persons have been electrocuted and many others are battling to save their lives after an 11KVA high tension cable fell on a makeshift trading store at Eruemukowharien community in Ughelli North local government area of Delta state.
It was gathered that some of the deceased where on a rescue when the incident occurred at 11.30pm last weekend.
Those who died at the incident are, Mr. Tony a staff of the Fire Fighting Services attached to Ughelli Pumping Station, Eruemukowharien, Mr Daniel Omovwerha, 20, while the injured are Mrs Augustina, Mr Daniel Obarigho, Master Eru Avwerosuoghene 12, whose one of his toes might be amputated and others.
According to sources in the community, one of the deceased, a Fire Fighter attached to Ughelli Pumping Station, UPS at Eruemukohwarien simply identified as Mr. Tony from Edo state had gone to rescue the victim before he met the untimely death.
Narrating their ordeals to newsmen, one of the survivors of the incident who gave his name Obarigho Daniel said, “We were in the house when I heard a woman crying for help and I have to rush down to her shop to rescue the situation.
“But unfortunately I could not do anything because as I was about entering her shop, I found myself on the ground severally and people have to rush me to a nearby clinic for first aid because of the injuries I sustained all over my body.
“Daniel who berated the management of the BEDC for not maintaining their cables and transformers in the community that has become obsolete, said, “If the management of BEDC are true to themselves, this would not have happened.
Another victim who had severe burns in her buttocks, Mrs Augustina said, “I was sleeping when my child woke me up that my friend is having issues, as I was rushing down to her store, the 11kva high tension cable picked me up severally and the rest was history, it was at the hospital I knew what happened to me.
“Presently, i cannot sit down because my buttock has been burnt.
The vice president of the community, Mr Joseph Avwowomure said, At about 11.30 pm, we had a very loud noise only for us to come and see that the 11kva high tension cable that carries power from Transcorp to Ughelli through our community cut and fell down.
“Unfortunately, this is dry season where people were still awake and four were badly injure and their on the way to the hospital, three of them died, and we don’t know if the other person would survive.
“If I must be frank with you, those 11KVA cables have been there for ages, without any care or maintenance by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC and it is very unfortunate that we lost three persons and over six persons are severely injured.
“We have lost seriously, you know to lost life is a terrible thing and right now we want the government to assist us in this time of bereavement and predicaments to see what can be done to savage the situation as the remains of the deceased are in the morgue.
“Despite our call to BEDC management to maintain these obsolete cables and wires, it has not yielded any positive results, though we are still trying to reach out to them and if nothing is done, the community will have no option but take the right step of actions.
“We have tried severally to prevail on BEDC to change all the cables that have lasted for over 60-years all to no avail while as a community we are trying our best in the little way we can.”
The Secretary General of the community, Chief Kingsley Enomate accused the management of the BEDC of gambling with people’s lives in the area saying, if you see some of these high tension poles do not have crossbars and that is life threatening.
“It is very unfortunate to inform you that these lines you are there have been in existence since the time of ECN, and that is to tell you that the cables and wires very old and they lacked maintenance and every now and then, they give way and that is has just happened today in our community.”
