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Update: Electrocution incident kills one worker, injures five others

The area where the deadly accident took place on Saturday morning around noontime. Yellow police tape encloses the area, with a fire truck and firefighters stationed on site as a precautionary measure. It’s unknown at this time what exactly caused the accident — only that six were injured, one fatally, while two have been released from the hospital, another two are still in ICU, and one remains in the Surgical Ward. [Photo: BT]
Three still in hospital, two have been released from LBJ
joyetter@samoanews.com

“The unfortunate incident has taken the life of a young man and the Department of Public Safety expresses its deepest condolences to the mourning family, but in the meantime, the Criminal Investigation Division is currently investigating the matter,” said Acting Police Commissioner Le’i Sonny Thompson. Responding to Samoa News questions, Le’i said that a total of six men were injured as a result of an electrical incident at the Manu’a store located at the Tafuna Industrial Park, one fatally , and to date (yesterday) two have been released from the hospital, another two remain in the Intensive Care Unit and one is in the Surgical Ward.

The former Human Resources Director, told Samoa News that the police have been working on this case since the incident on Saturday — working around the clock to get to the bottom of this as “it is a heartbreaking incident.” He said that in the next few days, the CID should have a report, but in the meantime the investigation continues.

The Acting Commissioner said he was contacted about the horrific incident, however upon arrival, the men had already been taken to the hospital. He could not comment as to why the incident occurred.

Unconfirmed reports from witnesses told Samoa News that a ladder fell on a live wire, while others have stated that the crane arm, that was lifting the metal struts out of containers for the Manu’a store’s new warehouse/ building, located nextdoor to the accident site, struck a high tension wire, which was close to where the containers are located (see photo).

Le’i told Samoa News that since the incident, firefighters have been stationed at the scene for precautionary measures.

American Samoa Power Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Utu Abe Malae said the incident was “heart breaking.”

Responding to Samoa News questions, Utu who is traveling, said apparently, “soon after the crane contacted the high tension line, the feeder tripped because of the large fault current that rushed to the nearby Tafuna power plant. If it hadn't tripped so quickly there would have been more fatalities,” he said.

Utu further noted that extreme caution must be exercised when working around ‘live’ wires, and pointed out that there are warning signs on all heavy equipment with vertical extensions such as cranes and bucket trucks. “The "keep clear" signs must be heeded by the operator and workers on the ground. 

“For example, no one on the ground is to lean against or otherwise touch the equipment while it is being operated. The operator is actually in a safer position than those on the ground touching the equipment.

“Before digging around an area, locate the presence of underground power cables,” he said.

Utu further cautioned that working alongside waterways (e.g., at road bridges) with overhead or underground power cables nearby is also risky. Again, study the warning signs on the equipment itself and obey them.

“Water (not distilled) is an excellent conductor of electricity and if the high voltage line were to snap and touch the water, workers in the water would be injured or killed.”

He further noted that building a house without a permit too close to a high-voltage line may seem okay to the owner at the time. “However, that is very risky and has caused electrical injuries because of a ladder coming into contact with the live wires.”

He also commented about that danger of flying kites near high voltage areas.

“Even those flying kites in the park should be aware of the high voltage lines even though they appear ‘far away’.  A shift in the wind direction can make all the difference,” he said.

The ASPA CEO also cautioned that cutting down trees next to power lines should not be done by families themselves. “They must contact ASPA to do that. Any tree within the easement of all power lines must be cut down.  Value your life more than the breadfruit tree. Breadfruit pickers using long lou have been electrocuted before. A thick telephone cable that is broken and lying on the ground, say, after a cyclone, should be considered "live".  Even though it is a telephone cable, somewhere along its length it may be in contact with a high voltage power line.”

Utu expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased.