Electrocuted while tampering with live transformer

Northam – Late Wednesday evening, 20 October, social media was abuzz when an 11kVa transformer on an Eskom pole exploded just outside town, resulting in a power outage in the area.

An Eskom employee was on his way back from Rustenburg and witnessed the flash at one of the poles and immediately went to investigate.

He came across a man, burnt beyond recognition, at the top of the pole and immediately alerted the police. 

After back-and-forth calls, it was established that Thabazimbi Crisis Control was the only local emergency team with the necessary equipment and personnel who are trained to deal with this kind of scenario – a high-tension line rescue and removal.  

“Our team was on scene at about 1am on Thursday morning, 21 October,” said Thabazimbi Crisis Control Centre (TCCC) operations section chief and director Henk Havenga.

They planned their task carefully and after Eskom confirmed that the electricity was turned off on the grid, started with the recovery of the body. 

The remains were handed over to the police’s forensic pathology unit. Northam SAPS, Northam emergency medical services (EMS) and Provincial EMS were also on scene to assist. 

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