Udon Thani man electrocuted during failed cable theft attempt
An attempted theft of high-voltage power cables ended tragically in Udon Thani when a man, believed to be aged between 30 and 40 years old, was electrocuted, causing him to fall from approximately 10 metres. The incident sparked a fire in the nearby grass, which emergency services promptly extinguished.
The event occurred near an old petrol station on Nitthayo Road, Route 22, in the Nong Na Kham subdistrict of Mueang district. Police Lieutenant Colonel Theeraphap Phukhanthai of the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station was alerted to the event.
Upon arrival, rescue teams, fire engines from the Nong Bua subdistrict municipality, and electricity officials found the dead man lying next to a high-voltage power pole, bearing visible burn marks on his left hand and head, indicative of electrocution.
Nearby, tools including a size 20 spanner and a sugarcane cutting knife were discovered, along with a burnt bag containing several wire-cutting tools. A bicycle was also found near the power pole, presumed to belong to the man.
It was suspected that the man attempted to scale the pole to steal electrical cables but was electrocuted in the process, resulting in his fatal fall.
Sorawit Trithorn, a 23 year old local, reported witnessing the incident while driving into Udon Thani. He described seeing a bright flash, likening it to fireworks, and hearing an explosion.
Upon returning to the scene, he saw the man and immediately notified the police. He also noted the fire spreading along the roadside, which was quickly contained by the arriving emergency services, reported KhaoSod.
Police continue to investigate the identity of the man and have hypothesised that he climbed the pole in an attempt to steal cables from the decommissioned petrol station, leading to his untimely death due to electrocution.
In related news, a daring incident unfolded on December 27 last year as a man attempted to cut high-voltage power lines just 200 metres from a police station in Samut Prakan, resulting in a severe electric shock and a precarious rescue operation.
Latest Thailand News
