Boy (13) electrocuted, battles for life
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy from Hurungwe is battling for his life due to serious injuries he sustained after being electrocuted last week.
The boy, identified as Nyasha Nyamukuyamba under village head Charinda, Chief Matau in ward 25, was injured while herding cattle late in the afternoon.
It is believed he came into contact with power lines linking Denderedzi and Zvipani business centres.
Unknowingly, disaster stuck since the power lines were live and he was electrocuted.
For nearly 30 minutes, villagers combed the area, to help him to get transport to Zvipani Clinic about 75km west of Karoi farming town.
According to sources, the power lines were neglected by Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) for more than a year.
Local councillor Tedius Nyamukumba confirmed the incident, saying the boy was unaware that the power lines were live.
“He was playing and came into contact with the power lines hanging to the ground. The loose lines have not been attended to by power authorities for some time now,” he said.
“Villagers believed the lines were switched off since they are within communities. He suffered multiple injuries on arms, leg and the stomach.”
Nyamutamba said soon after the incident, the boy was rushed to Zvipani Clinic before he was transferred to Hurungwe, then Chinhoyi, before being taken to Harare.
“Both Hurungwe District and Chinhoyi Provincial hospitals staff could not attend to him due to the injuries sustained,” he added.
A local villager Zvatanga Ngandini blamed ZETDC officials for the accident.
“These power lines have been neglected for almost one and half years. It is life threatening to both humans and domestic animals around communities,” he said.
The matter was attended to by ZETDC officials from Karoi and the police.
ZETDC northern region general manager Lovemore Chinaka confirmed the incident saying investigations were underway.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the line developed a fault and part of it was isolated. Some conductors (wires) on the dead side of the isolation point were cut by an unknown person (could be an act of vandalism),” he said.
“The cutting of the conductors on the dead side caused the H-pole structure to lean towards the live side, bringing the live conductors to about 1,5 metres above ground level, at the lowest point. The victim got into contact with the low-lying live conductors. A full investigation is under way.”
Chinaka, however, added that normal line protection devices switch off the lines if the conductors come into contact with the ground or earthed objects or if the live wires clash or get entangled.
“So if the conductors are just lying low, they will remain live. That’s why we advise the public to treat any fallen lines or low-lying wires as live at all times.”
NewsDay
