Four children electrocuted in Ondo

The Ondo State Police Command has confirmed the death of four kids who were electrocuted in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesperson of the state Police Command, Funmilayo Odunlami, said an electric cable fell on the metal container shop inside which the deceased were playing, killing them.

She said the command has commenced investigation into the matter.

Two of the victims were siblings who visited their aunt for the Easter holiday in the community.

The incident happened when five children were playing inside the container.

They were rushed to the hospital, but there was no sufficient oxygen they could use for the five of them.

Reacting, the senator representing Ondo South, Nicholas Tofowomo, said he would ensure the parents of the victims get justice if the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) was found culpable in the matter.

He warned residents of the community against erecting buildings or shops under high tension cables or any power supply line.

In its reaction, BEDC: “Sadly, we received information about the electrocution of four little children within our network in Ile-Oluji due to an 11kv line that snapped. As a company, we condole with the families of the children because life is very sacred and should not end prematurely this way.

“According to information available to us, the children were in an iron container shop that was directly under an 11kv line that snapped which led to their electrocution when they had contact with the wire. The deaths would have been avoidable if there was nothing within the 11meters right of way statutorily required for such line.

“While we don’t have the powers to relocate people directly living or trading under our electricity lines, we shall be very brutal in disconnecting such customers from the public power supply and ensure they never have access to it again which would probably lead to them relocating voluntarily out of the harm’s way. By this, we believe we can prevent future occurrence of similar sad incidents in future.”