A FIVE-year-old child and a 14-year-old student have lost their lives after being electrocuted in two separate incidents in the last three weeks.
This was according to the Energy Fiji Limited chief executive officer, Hasmukh Patel during a press conference held in Suva.
He said the first incident was of the Year 10 student who lost her life after using a faulty extension cord.
“The reason being that the extension cord was damaged, the insulation of the extension cord had come off and the live wire had become exposed,” he said.
“So when she connected that extension cord to that power point obviously the exposed portion of the extension cord came into connect with her hand.
He said the latest incident occurred on Monday in Nakasi where the five year old child’s foot came into contact with an iron pipe that had been part of a temporary shed.
Mr Patel advice the public to ensure the extension cords they use were in a healthy state and to follow proper guidelines when erecting temporary sheds.
If you are erecting any temporary sheds or permanent sheds in the vicinity of power lines please ensure that certain distances which are statutory clearances as in the Electricity Act are met to ensure your safety and the safety of all in your vicinity.
He said these clearances would be advertised in the paper again in order to inform those who are erecting these sheds and for them to strictly adhere to it.
