Two polytechnic workers electrocuted in Ekiti

Two members of staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, yesterday died of electrocution while carrying out their duties. Eyewitnesses said the victims, who were workers of the Department of Works, died while working on a defective borehole on campus.

The deceased, whose identities have not been unveiled, were natives of Ekiti and Kogi states.The source recounted that the deceased while working on the borehole had made attempt to remove the galvanised pipe for repair when the mistake was made and they died on the spot.

It was gathered that as they were removing the pipe, they didn’t know that it had gone up to the extent that it could touch a high tension wire around the area. “Immediately the pipe touched the high tension wire, there was a huge spark that caused electrocution of the two men.

“Their bodies were charred by the effect of the electrocution while other supportive workers were flung to a far distance, but they neither died nor sustained serious bodily injuries,” he narrated.

When contacted, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Adeyemi Adejolu, confirmed the incident, saying the workers died while performing their duties. “It was true that they got electrocuted while performing their duties. It was a sad and regrettable incident that the polytechnic will regret for a long time”.

Adejolu added that the victim from Kogi had been taken to his hometown for immediate burial while the family of the other deceased had been contacted.