Nkawkaw: A 14-year-old Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidate, identified as Richmond, has died after being electrocuted at Nkawkaw. The incident took place at White House, a suburb of Nkawkaw, amid a heavy downpour that reportedly caused a high-tension electricity cable to snap and fall to the ground.
According to Ghana Web, Richmond was playing football when he came into contact with the live cable, leading to his immediate death at the scene. The Electricity Company of Ghana Manager for Kwahu West, Kingsley Agbesi, stated that preliminary findings suggest the boy fell onto the exposed wire during his playtime.
Agbesi highlighted the dangers associated with activities near power lines, emphasizing that farming and vegetation close to these cables can hinder maintenance efforts and pose safety risks. He advised residents to maintain a safe distance from electricity lines and avoid planting crops beneath them, particularly during the rainy season when such incidents are more frequent.
The landlord of the deceased, Yaw Afrifa, conveyed to Adom News that the incident was profoundly distressing, leaving the entire community in shock. In response, residents are urging authorities to enhance routine maintenance and inspections of power infrastructure to avert similar tragedies in the future.
The body of the deceased has been taken to the morgue, and investigations into the incident are currently underway.