6 Electrocuted In Lagos, 2 Vehicles Burnt

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Thursday, April 10th, 2014

No fewer than six people have been electrocuted at Oworonshoki area of Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday after they stepped on naked falling electricity cable.

Lagos state governor Babatunde Fashola

Tears flowed freely when a woman with three children and another pregnant woman with a child were brought dead after they stepped on 11 KVA high tension electricity wire that fell around 2.00 am today.

It was gathered that when power was restored around 2.00 am, there was a spark on the poll, which led to the high tension wire falling off and fell on a vehicle with 50 litres of fuel, resulting in an explosion.

The tragedy occurred at Number 6/8 Onabanjo Street, Oworonshoki. As residents cited the raging fire, they fled from their houses, but unfortunately, six of them stepped on the falling naked wire were electrocuted immediately.

General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the incident occurred on Number 6 and 8 of Onabanjo Street, saying that a Power Holding Company of Nigeria poll sparked when power was restored at about 2.20 am which resulted to the falling of electric cable which landed on a vehicle with 50 litres of PMS which exploded and caught fire.

He said the incident caused panic among residence of Number 6 who in a bid of running for safety stepped on the live wire and were electrocuted, adding that six lives were lost, saying that the police and others were on ground to restore normalcy.

According to the Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe, the high tension cable fell on a car loaded with Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, resulting into fire outbreak which eventually claimed five lives, saying those who died included two female, a pregnant woman and three teenagers, saying that nearby buildings were quickly saved.

An eye witness, Mr. Ladi Joshua stated that he was few metres away from the incidence and that he saw everything that occurred, explaining that the high tension wire fell from the poll on a wood resulting into a fire which burnt two vehicles immediately.

Joshua said an alarm was raised which woke up residence on Number 6 who started running to escape being caught in the fire, but that unknown to them, the high tension was behind their house as they stepped on it and died immediately.

He said the wire fell on a wooden material and caught fire immediately, saying that he shouted

He gave the names of those who died as one Mama Fatima with her child and another woman called Mama Jonathan, with her children while another boy he simply identified as Basit also died.

Shocked by the loss of his wife and three children, a man identified as Baba Jonathan was said to have drank poison in order to end his life but was quickly rushed to a hospital in the area. The deceased had been deposited at a mortuary in Yaba area of Lagos.