A 55-year-old woman and her daughter have lost their lives as a result of an electrical accident which occurred due to wire snap.
The incident occurred at St Peter Clavers Junction, Nnewichi, Nnewi, Anambra state.
The management of Enugu Electrical Distribution Company (EEDC) in a statement issued Enugu and signed by the Head of Communication, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh it described the incident as unfortunate.
The Management has equally conveyed its condolences to the family of the victims during a condolence visit to the family last by representatives of the company led by the Head of Health, Safety & Environment, Francis Iwu.
According to Ezeh, this situation would not have occurred if people adhered to all the publicity and sensitisation efforts by the company on the hazards of erecting structures, trading or carrying out business activities under the power line Right-of-Way.
“In this very incident that occurred in Anambra, the victim put up a makeshift shop made of a metallic container, directly under the High Tension (HT) line, which was why the victims were caught up and electrocuted.
“The fact is that we wouldn’t have lost these lives if they were not under the power line”, Ezeh lamented.
He explained that the power line Right-of-way is the mapped out corridor for Distribution and Transmission power lines and as a precautionary safety measure, these mandatory clearance levels are to be observed and adhered to by members of the public when putting up structures.
The EEDC had issued a release advising her customers and the general public against putting up structures and carrying out business activities within power line Right-of-way.
The distribution company equally enumerated the various power lines and their respective clearance levels. For instance, 11 meters is to be observed on 11KV and 33KV lines (that is 5.5 meters on both sides); while 30 meters is observed on 132 KV line (that is 15 meters on both sides) and 50 meters observed on 330KV line (that is 25 meters on both sides).
Ezeh states: “As a matter of fact, in compliance with the directive issued by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) to Distribution Companies (DISCOs), instructing them to disconnect the power supply to all structures, buildings and premises that are in violation of the Power line Right-of-way (ROW), (EEDC) has since commenced disconnection of erring properties within its network.”
He affirmed that EEDC is in full liaison with relevant government agencies to ensure this directive is carried out effectively.
“We have been disconnecting properties identified to be in violation, and working closely with relevant government agencies, some of these structures have been demolished”, Ezeh said.
Ezeh also said that (EEDC) has applied various communication medium in sensitising its customers on the need to be safety conscious by observing these clearance levels.
“We frown at the indiscriminate manner structures are erected within electricity Right-of-way and warn our customers to desist from this hazardous behaviour”.
Ezeh went ahead to mention that there are situations where electricity lines sag or snap, and if the specified clearance level is not observed, lives of people living within the area will be exposed to possible electrocution.
“Adherence to power line Right-of-way as well as these clearance levels will go a long way in safeguarding not only lives of the citizens but also their properties,” he posited.
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