At least 15 people died by electrocution and seven others were injured after a power transformer exploded at the Namami Gange project site on the banks of the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district Wednesday, said officials
Authorities confirmed that a police sub-inspector and three home guards were among the 15 killed in the accident that occurred at 11.35 am near the Chamoli sewage treatment plant, according to ADG (Law and Order) V Murugesan, who added that electricity circulation on a metal railing caused the casualties, as per preliminary information.
The state’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has launched an investigation into the incident, according to BBC.
Police also disclosed that at least 15 people have also been severely injured in the accident and they are receiving treatment at the district’s main hospital.
BBC reported that the transformer exploded and electrified a bridge that spans the river.
“We got a call from the village that a watchman had died of electrocution. When the police went to check they found that 21 people had been electrocuted and severely injured. Fifteen people died in hospital and the rest are critical,” Chamoli’s superintendent of police, PramendraDhobal said.
Deaths from electrocution are frequently reported in India where poor wiring and infrastructure often lead to serious accidents.
Culled/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko
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