9-yr-old boy electrocuted by exposed power lines

A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy was having a bath when he, accidentally, came into contact with exposed live electric lines atop the zinc fence near the pipe where he was standing in his yard, causing him to be electrocuted on Wednesday night.Satyanand Balkarran, of Lot 17 Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, who was a pupil of Goed Fortuin Primary School, was pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH).

His grandfather, Lakeram Balkarran told the Guyana Chronicle that, about 18:00 hrs, the schoolboy went with his brother to bathe after watching television.

He said the siblings, accompanied by their mother, was in a ‘wash area’ of the yard and as Satyanand, called ‘Mikhail’, was bathing, he touched the zinc fence and suddenly fell to the ground.
He was picked up by his mother, who felt the power surge through her body as she held onto her son, who was unconscious and she realised that he had been fatally shocked.
It was then she alerted the neighbours and the lad was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed.
The elderly grandfather said he and his wife had left their home to attend a wake when they received a telephone call informing them that Mikhail had been killed.
The man said he, personally, reported by telephone on many occasions, since last year, that they knew the power lines from the utility pole to their house were somewhat exposed and caused current fluctuations in their home.

REFERENCE NUMBER
However, he claimed the electricity company only gave them a reference number, promising to investigate but never rectified the problem.

Balkarran told this publication it was after the incident which claimed the life of his grandson that two teams from Guyana Power and Light (GPL) turned up at their home but he is unsure what they did.
The power lines were still looping atop the fence of Balkarran’s residence when reporters visited yesterday.
The dead child had, previously, only returned to school three weeks ago following his recovery from a dreadful accident in which he was badly burnt about the body.

Balkarran’s father was said to be unaware of his son’s death because of his absence away in the hinterland where he works.
Contacted yesterday, GPL Public Relations Officer Shevion Sears-Murray said the utility is aware of the tragedy and has, since, launched an investigation to ascertain what transpired.
As such, GPL cannot make a pronouncement at this time.

(By Michel Outridge)