Five persons died while trying to mount a billboard in the Obiri-Ikwerre area of Rumuosi in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Monday.
Also, four others who received life-threatening burns are currently battling for their lives at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where they were rushed for treatment.
It was learnt that as the people wanted to mount the billboard, a major outdoor advertisement with a metal frame, it reportedly touched a high-tension cable, thereby causing a spark.
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The nine men were said to have lifted the gigantic structure when its metal component touched the cable and immediately conducted an electric current.
The electric current gripped and shocked five of them to death while four others were said to be in critical condition.
The victims were said to be private businessmen contracted to mount the billboard for a new generation church.
In his Facebook post, Akah M. Solomon said ‘‘Yesterday in Rivers State, around East-West Road, Port Harcourt, young and able-bodied men were contracted to install a billboard.
‘‘All the necessary preliminary works had been done and now the time for the main installation of the billboard.
”Young men, five of them holding and guiding the metal as it was raised to be mounted.
”The metal had contact with a high-tension cable, and these men were electrocuted.
‘‘Occupational hazard and force majeure
They died from the electrocution
This is very unfortunate
May their souls rest and may God console their families
Sometime ago in my village, this same accident happened and two persons lost their lives.
These deaths were avoidable, they were careful but it was an accident
‘‘The best carefulness anyone could be is to install billboard in a place far from Poles hoisting high-tension cables.’’
In an interview with a journalist, the spokesperson for Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the incident, describing it as unfortunate.
She said, “Yes, we are aware. It is very unfortunate. Investigation is ongoing to ascertain what really happened.’’
