By Emezina Patricia
FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited has called on property owners, contractors and residents to observe electrical safety precautions around overhead power lines following the death of three men in an electrocution incident at Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State.
The incident reportedly occurred on October 19, at No. 123, Old Port Harcourt Road, when an iron pole being erected for a water tank fell onto an 11kV electricity line, electrocuting the three men handling it.
The victims, identified as Chukwudi Ukwa, Frank Okafor and Somadina Nwabuike, were reportedly working at a compound where a contractor had been engaged to sink a borehole for the owner of a two-storey building.
Police officers from Fegge Division subsequently conveyed the bodies to General Hospital, Onitsha, while the building owner, identified as Mr Steven, was reported to be assisting the police with investigations into the incident.
Reacting to the tragedy, FirstPower emphasised that construction, borehole drilling, water tank installation and other activities near electricity lines require strict adherence to safety regulations to prevent avoidable accidents and loss of lives.
The company explained that long metal objects coming into contact with energised overhead conductors can cause fatal electrocution, exposing not only the individuals handling them but also nearby residents and passers-by to serious danger.
FirstPower noted that it had continued to intensify electricity safety awareness campaigns across markets, motor parks, streets, schools and communities in Anambra State, warning residents against erecting structures, setting up stalls or carrying out other activities within electricity line corridors without the required clearance.
The company urged property owners, contractors and artisans to assess their work environments before commencing projects, maintain the prescribed safety distances from power lines and seek qualified professional guidance whenever their activities involve electricity infrastructure.
It also advised members of the public to avoid touching fallen electrical wires or attempting to remove objects in contact with power lines. Any suspected electrical hazard, it said, should be reported immediately to the appropriate electricity provider or emergency authorities, while people keep a safe distance from the affected area.
FirstPower expressed condolences to the families and associates of the deceased, reiterating its commitment to public sensitisation and collaboration with relevant authorities and communities to promote electrical safety. It urged residents to report dangerous activities around power installations, stressing that no construction project or household installation should endanger human lives.
Patricia is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State.
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