Shocking incident: Electrician severely electrocuted in Buriram

An electrician was severely injured after being electrocuted while connecting power lines on a high-voltage pole in Buriram. Rescue efforts were delayed by 30 minutes due to the late arrival of a separate bucket truck.

At 10am today, July 19, emergency responders from Buriram Hospital received a report of a person being electrocuted on a high-voltage electricity pole in front of Buriram College of Agriculture and Technology. Medical personnel rushed to the scene to assist.

Upon arrival, they found the employee of the Provincial Electricity Authority, unconscious and hanging by a safety harness midway up the pole, with severe injuries. A separate truck from the electricity company arrived to disconnect the power, allowing them to lower the injured worker to the ground.

Initial examination revealed burn marks covering the body, and the clothing was singed. The injured worker was immediately transported to Buriram Hospital for further treatment.

A nearby egg vendor, who witnessed the incident, described hearing a loud explosion from the direction of the electricity pole. He turned to see smoke erupting intermittently from the electrician’s body. The worker attempted to free himself but seemed unable to do so due to his safety harness locking him to the pole.

A colleague of the worker, 37 year old Paiboon Srila explained that they were in the process of connecting underground power cables. He was working nearby when he heard the explosion but was unable to assist because the bucket truck was not on site. The electrocution occurred because they did not expect the power lines to be live, reported KhaoSod.

The delay in the rescue was a critical factor in the incident, as the injured worker remained on the pole for over 30 minutes before a separate bucket truck arrived. This situation raised concerns over the preparedness and response times of emergency services in such hazardous work environments.