A serious electric-shock accident recently occurred on the southern section of Huanghe Road in Kaifeng, Henan Province. A man holding a long pole near high-voltage lines accidentally touched a wire with the pole. He suffered a severe electric shock, fell to the ground and his clothes caught fire, creating a frightening scene.
According to local media reports on November 5, nearby shopkeepers heard three loud bangs in succession and then saw thick smoke rising from the scene. An employee of a car accessories shop immediately fetched a fire extinguisher and helped put out the flames on the man’s clothes. The man was then taken to hospital with serious burns.
The local Wuyi Subdistrict Office and Xiyuan Community confirmed that the accident had occurred and that the injured man was a passerby. Staff at the Kaifeng power supply company said they had gone to the scene to investigate on November 4 and that no safety hazards had been found in the lines in the area.
The man’s identity, the extent of his burns and the latest details of his treatment have not been released. The detailed cause of the accident remains under investigation.
The accident is also a reminder of the extreme danger posed by high-voltage lines. Members of the public should avoid using long poles or metal tools, or engaging in other dangerous activities near such lines, to prevent electric shocks.
