Electrical accidents claim 14 lives, injure 9 in March – NEMSA

About 14 accidents traced to faulty electricity equipment killed 14 persons and injured nine others in March, 2017, a report from the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has shown.

The monthly safety performance report for March revealed that the accidents occurred in the franchise areas of seven electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). Only four DisCos had no record of an accident in March.

The report was prepared and endorsed by the Managing Director and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation (CEIF), Engr. Peter Ewesor.

Benin DisCo the highest cases had of accidents as it recorded five electrocutions (deaths) resulting from five accidents. Yola DisCo was the next with three accidents resulting in three deaths and one person injured; Ikeja Electric recorded six injuries with no death in the month.

Kaduna Electric recorded three accidents that resulted in the death of two persons and another injured. An accident occurred under Kano DisCo resulting in the electrocution of two persons and one injury. Jos and Ibadan DisCos recorded one accident each that electrocuted a person respectively.

Abuja, Eko, Enugu, and Port Harcourt had no recorded accidents in the month, the report indicated.

The agency identified seven major factors responsible for most of the accidents occurring in the power sector. These factors include failures of system protection equipment, occasional absence of protection devices, non-adherence to safety rules, and regulations, and poor response to monitored networks.

In terms of ranking, NEMSA ranked Abuja, Eko and Enugu DisCos as the safest network of the month as they scored 100 per cent each. Port Harcourt DisCo ranked second with 95 per cent; Ibadan DisCo was ranked third with 92 per cent.

Yola DisCo which is now under the control of the federal government was the worst ranked as it occupied the ninth position after scoring 64 per cent.