There was confusion on Tuesday, November 11, at Idimu in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State after three guests and a motor boy were electrocuted during a chieftaincy title party.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the yet-to-be-identified motor boy, however, died on the spot.
It was reported that a resident who had just been conferred with a chieftaincy title during the anniversary decided to host a party in the Anjorin Street area of the community.
While the celebration was ongoing, a truck attempting to navigate the street was obstructed by one of the canopies mounted across the road.
As a result, some party guests assisted by one of the truck’s occupants attempted to lift the canopy to allow the vehicle to pass.
An eyewitness, Femi Ajiboye, told our correspondent during a visit to the community on Wednesday that in the process of placing the canopy on one side of the road, its iron frame touched a naked electric wire and electrocuted them instantly.
“The coronation anniversary was a weeklong event, and in the course of it, a resident was honoured with a chieftaincy title. While he was holding a separate party to celebrate the title, a truck conveying sand attempted to access a new estate at the end of the street but was blocked by one of the canopies mounted for the celebration.
“That was when some of the guests, along with an occupant of the truck, decided to lift the canopy off the road. Unknown to them, there was a naked wire lying on the ground. As they lifted the canopy, its metal frame touched the live wire, and they were electrocuted. People could not immediately understand what was happening until they saw them fall to the ground. That was when it became clear that it was an electrocution.”
The incident was said to have thrown the party into chaos as the celebration ended abruptly.
Another resident, who identified himself simply as Olajide, said the victims were rushed to the hospital, where the truck occupant was confirmed dead on arrival.
“The whole area became chaotic the moment the incident happened because people initially thought they had died. Four of them were taken to the hospital, but the motor boy didn’t make it. The three other party guests were admitted and are currently receiving treatment,” he added.
Olajide noted that the remains of the deceased were later taken away and buried by his family.
Another resident, who did not want his name mentioned, citing personal reasons, said he saw the deceased when he bought a diesel vehicle before the incident happened.
“I saw the man when he bought diesel at the filling station, not long ago. I was shocked when they said he had died. This was someone I saw about thirty minutes ago,” the resident told PUNCH Metro.
When initially contacted on Sunday for reaction, after our PUNCH Metro learnt of the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer said she was not aware.
She said, “I called the DPO in the area, and she said no such report was made at the police station.”
She could not be reached when contacted for a follow-up confirmation on Wednesday, as calls made to her telephone were not responded to. A text message sent to her had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
PUNCH Metro reported in August that the Lagos State Police Command confirmed the death of a 45-year-old electrician who was electrocuted while attempting to reconnect power cables to a pole in the Shasha area of the state.
The incident comes amid concerns about the poor management of electrical infrastructure and the enforcement of safety guidelines.
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