Negligence alleged: Lineman, child receive fatal electric shocks

The child was playing in a street when she stumbled onto a live 11 KV wire

BAHALWALPUR: A Multan Electric Supply Company (Mepco) lineman died on Tuesday after receiving a fatal electric shock from an 11 KV wire that he was trying to repair. He had been assured that electricity supply had been suspended and that it was safe to touch it, his colleagues said. Irfan Siddique, a lineman at Mepco’s Jahanian subdivision, and 10 other linemen were told by the Mepco Jahanian SDO, Line Superintendent Nasir Mahmood and Line Superintendent Rashid to ensure repairs at several 11KV poles and cables on Khanpur Madal Feeder and Pir Sadiq Shah Feeder that had been damaged in windstorms.  They said they had passed on the XEN’s orders to restore electricity to areas where power had been disrupted because of windstorms.

Mamood, Rashid and the SDO were present when Siddique climbed a pole to repair the cable. He had been told that electricity supply had been suspended and that it was safe to work on the conductor. Mepco workers said when Siddique touched the wire he received a severe electric shock and fell off. The feeder tripped and 10 other linemen standing next to the pole suffered minor shocks.

Siddique was taken to a hospital where doctors said he had 80 per cent burns and his leg had broken in the fall from the pole. He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Siddique was a resident of Satellite Town, Bahawalpur. He was buried at the Multan Graveyard on Wednesday.

Child receives fatal shock

A four-year-old girl died on Tuesday after receiving a fatal shock from an 11KV electric cable that had dislodged from an electric pole and fallen onto the road.

Ameera, 4, daughter of Deen Muhammad, was playing in the streets in Azam Town when she fell over an electricity cable that had dislodged from an electric pole and fallen onto the road.  She died on the spot. Following the incident, her family held a demonstration to protest against negligence of WAPDA authorities. They demanded strict action against officials who had not ensured prompt repair of the wire.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2016.