Shocking outcome: Electrifying mishap on condo balcony leaves painter with First-Degree burns (video)
A painter suffered from First-Degree burns after being electrocuted while painting a condo balcony near an electricity pole in southern Thailand.
According to Channel 3, the shocking incident occurred to the unnamed victim at 11am yesterday when he was painting the exterior of a third-floor balcony in the southern province of Songkhla.
The man accidentally touched the high-voltage electric wire with a 4-metre iron rod, resulting in an electric shock which waltzed through his body and turned him into a ball of fire shocking nearby bystanders.
The building owner rushed to aid the man by pouring a bucket of water over his body to extinguish the fire. The flames were quelled but the man bore First-Degree burns to his body. The rescue team then rushed the man to a nearby hospital.
The electric pole and overhead electric and communication wires became enflamed, triggered by the electric shock. Firefighters later arrived at the scene to control the blaze.
This is not the first time an accident has occurred with the painters who worked on a building site. A similar accident was reported in Chon Buri in 2013 when a painter accidentally touched a high-voltage electric wire with an aluminium-handled brush while painting on a building rooftop.
Another similar accident occurred in December last year involving a painter in the southern province of Trang.
The paint roller brush was on the end of a long aluminium rod. With its length and the height of the building, many painters accidentally touched the electric poles and the overhanging wires when trying to paint.
The electrical authorities commented that they recommend the residence’s owner and/or the painting team contact the relevant authorities before starting work. The electrical authorities stated that they will cover the potentially dangerous electric wires with an insulator or cut off the electric supply until the operation is done.
