Children Accidentally Burnt By PHCN Cable Lose Hands

Two of the three children of Mr and Mrs Dogara Ishaya, who were burnt by a high tension cable when the television antenna they were adjusting contacted the cable, have been amputated.

The victims are Emeka, Meshak and Divine. The incident occurred at 8am on Monday when they were watching a favourite sport programme on a local television station in Makera-Kakuri area of Kaduna South local government area.

Since the incident occurred, sympathisers have been thronging the Ishaya’s reside
nce and hospital to pray for them and offer assistance.

Narrating how the incident occurred, Mother of the two children – Mrs Juliana Dogara Ishaya, who was then at work, said the children were watching television when they discovered that the channel was no longer clear and went outside the apartment to adjust the antenna which turned out to be stiff.

“The three of them placed their hands on the antenna trying to turn it and suddenly it pulled out from the ground and fell on the high tension cable which crossed our house to the nearby community.”

She added that her husband who had returned from working night shift was asleep when he heard their cries and in an attempt to rescue them, was also held up by the cable.

It took the intervention of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) office to switch off the electricity and rescue the unconscious children and their dad before they were rushed to the hospital.

The children who fall within the age bracket of 14 and 15 are all senior secondary school students, Mrs Ishaya said.

She appealed to the government and other Nigerians to assist the children, especially the ones whose hands had been amputated just as she called for the relocation of the high tension cable in the community, noting that it was against town planning rules for a high tension cable to pass through residential areas.