Man zapped by electric wire while removing Sinulog tarp

CEBU, Philippines - A 32-year-old man is now in critical condition after he likely touched a live wire while at the roof of a skywalk across Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City. It was the same spot where two children also got zapped by electricity last week.

 The incident happened at around 11:30 a.m. yesterday when Noli Cesiban, married, of Sitio Tabay Lawom, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, tried to remove a Sinulog tarpaulin posted at the roof of the skywalk.

Senior Police Officer 4 Rogelio Cañete, Cebu City Police Office Homicide Section investigator, said Cesiban was lucky to have survived the incident after his whole body suffered serious burns caused by electricity and injuries caused by the fall.

He said Cesiban, who went to the roof of the skywalk to remove the tarpaulin, but might have accidentally touched an electrical wire.

Cañete said witnesses told them that Cesiban stayed unconscious on the roof for a few minutes before personnel from the Cebu City Emergency Medical Services and nearby Department of Health-7 and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center arrived to rescue him.

But before the rescuers could get to him, however, he regained consciousness and tried to get up, causing his fall.

Some of the medical personnel were still in the process of preparing a blanket to catch him when he fell.

Cañete said he and colleagues were eating at a carenderia nearby when suddenly there was a power interruption. He said they did not mind it at first until they heard that someone got zapped so they immediately responded to the area.

“Grabe ang paso ato uy. Mora’g tibuok lawas gyud to. Naay niitom unya naa puy nangapaksit ang panit,” said Cañete. He said the victim might have also suffered bone fractures because of the fall.

Cesiban was brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, where he was brought to the Intensive Care Unit around 3 p.m. yesterday.

“Gamiton lang siguro unta niya ang tarpaulin para taptap ba ron sa ilang balay pero nasaghiran ang linya sa VECO (Visayan Electric Company),” Cañete said.

Because of the incident, VECO again reiterated its call for the public not go near or touch electrical wires.

“We have been advocating (for) the public to stay away or not to touch our wires,” it said, in a statement.

VECO added that electrical wirings in the area would soon vanish as it is part of its ongoing project to put all wires underground. — (FREEMAN)