BEDC official electrocuted while fixing electrical fault

By EBENEZER ADUROKIYA, Warri

Residents of Pipeline Street in Ughelli metropolis were thrown into wailing late Monday when an official of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) was electrocuted while trying to fix an electrical fault.

The incident happened around 5:00 p.m at Pipeline Street in Ughelli main town, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

Viral video footage sighted by our correspondent on Monday night showed a body glued to the high tension cable with a ladder resting on an electronic pole and another man, suspected to be another BEDC official, climbing up to remove the lifeless body from the cable.

Sympathisers, especially women, were seen clustered under the foot of the BEDC pole wailing, as frantic efforts was being made to bring down the corpse with the aid of a rope.

It was gathered that the power supply to the entire locality had earlier been switched off by the BEDC management before the rescue team eventually removed the remains of the deceased from the cable.

A witness at the scene of the event, who couldn’t give further details, on a phone call, said the incident occurred at 5:00 p.m and the corpse has been deposited in a morgue.

The source said the deceased was rectifying a fault on the malfunctioning cable which supplies power to the area during a light rain.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe, has yet to confirm the incident as of Tuesday morning when contacted. (Nigerian Tribune)