Recently 15 Boy Scouts were electrocuted when the tent they were moving accidentally touched a live wire. Three of them died and 12 others were hurt.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/12/3-boy-scouts-electrocuted-to-death-in-zamboanga-city |
Three Boy Scouts were killed and 12 others were injured when the tent they were transferring touched a live wire during a jamboree at Abong Abong Park in Barangay Pasonanca here on Thursday, Dec. 12.
The incident happened prior to the Philippine Boy Scouts Jamboree opening program where around 2,000 scouts from various elementary and high schools were gathered.
Mayor John Dalipe here ordered the cancellation of the activity from Dec. 12 to 15 to ensure the safety of remaining scouts and other participants.
Investigation disclosed that a group of Boy Scouts were ordered by one of the organizers to transfer the tent to the site of the program.
They were moving the tent when one of the metal pipes touched a low-lying electric wire, resulting in the electrocution of the victims aged nine to 22.
Police assisted the victims.
Three died and nine were brought to the Zamboanga City Medical Center by an ambulance of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office. Three sustained minor injuries.
What a tragedy, right?
Wrong.
The prevalence of low hanging electric wires across the Philippines posing danger to the whole of society is astounding. How this situation is allowed to exist is mind-boggling. It's like LGUs do not care about the people because if they did they would make sure these wires were PERMANENTLY cleaned up and not just during some one-time-big-time operation. It's all about a culture of safety which the Philippines is sorely lacking in every facet of society.
The death of three Boy Scouts because of the negligence of the electric company is NOT a tragedy. It is A CRIME! Whoever owns those wires should be charged accordingly.
Of course this situation is being painted as a tragedy and the Bureau of Fire Protection is one more warning electric companies to clean up their wires.
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| https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2024/12/13/bfp-reiterates-appeal-to-electric-companies-fix-your-spaghetti-wires-1712 |
The Bureau of Fire Protection reiterates its appeal to electric cooperatives to fix their wires in communities to prevent accidents like electrocution.
This, following the death of three teenagers in Zamboanga City during a city-wide Boy Scout Jamboree last week.
Speaking to ABS-CBN News, Fire Senior Inspector Gabriel Solano, acting chief of the Civil Relations Service of the the Bureau of Fire Protection, said it is incorrect to assume that wires dangling overhead are just telephone and cable TV lines.
Some of them are in fact, live.
While some of them have insulators, it is highly likely that some of them are already exposed and may therefore pose a risk to the public.
(We don't know where there may be wear and tear. We don't know if rats have chewed through or if exposure to the elements has made them brittle. Chances are there already are some of the copper is already exposed)
It also wouldn’t be wise to get into contact with them by using other objects that are perceived to be non-conductors of electricity.
“Everything can be a conductor of electricity given a combination of two things, water and salt. Sabihin natin kahit kahoy 'yan (Even, for example, wood), it can conduct electricity given the moisture content," he said.
Initial investigation showed that at least 15 boy scouts at the jamboree had been tasked to transfer a canopy, the tip of which accidentally touched a live wire, sending the scouts flying to the ground.
In a statement the Boy Scouts of the Philippines said it is working with authorities to investigate the incident and is ready to extend all forms of assistance to the victims and their families as well as to the survivors.
“We are also looking closely at the details of the incident in order to revisit and strengthen our existing policies and procedures on the conduct of Scouting activities,” the statement read.
It has also implemented a moratorium on all outdoor scouting activities.
“We are implementing a moratorium on all outdoor Scouting activities and encouraging our Local Councils to promote Scouting activities in controlled environments/settings. We will use this opportunity to equally capacitate our field Implementors in mainstreaming sound risk and safety management practices in Scouting.”
How many appeals need to be made before the Philippines is healed from the scourge of spaghetti wires? What is needed is the political will to start fining these companies hundreds of thousands of pesos every day until these dangerous low hanging death traps are cleared. Sadly that is never going to happen and more Filipinos will die from electrocution.
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