City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) rescue teams from Boksburg, Edenvale and Bedfordview fire stations were dispatched out to Elandsfontein train station where high voltage electrocution case was reported and one male adult patient still hanging on the power switch structure. The incident transpired on Tuesday the 21st July 2020 exactly at 13:35 and lasted till around 15: 30 the same afternoon.
On arrival of the team on scene, working together with Prasa and Police officials, the scene had to be cordoned off, power supply switched off before rescue technicians could be assigned up the 8,5-meter-high switch structure above the rail-lines. The patient was medically assessed and found to have sustained intense electrical burns in both his hands that penetrated through the body and lower extremities. He didn`t respond to any medical assessment rendered.
Attempts were made to lower the charred stiff body from the height down to the ground level. Two of the high angle rescuers is their safety gear including facemasks from the City`s emergency services mounted up the ladder to reach where the patient was. Spare safety harness was put across the patient`s body so as he can be lowered safely down to the ground. Through difficulties, the two rescuers managed to achieve the objective and safely so, the patient was brought down to the ground.
It is alleged that the patient was tempering with the power lines that are charged at three thousand volts (3 Kv). When scanning through the power lines across all the railway lines, one could identify that none of the five railway lines power supply was intact. Loose snapped power lines could be seen hanging from switch structures. No electrically powered locomotives could operate through the station linking that links both the City of Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg with Isando Industries, O.R. Tambo Airport and Pretoria. What is alleged to be the deceased operational tools, were found directly on the railway line under where he was hanging.
Paramedics on scene declared the patient dead and was handed over to Forensic Pathologist for the removal to an appropriate facility in Germiston.
The case has handed over to the South African Police Services` Officers where the inquest docket has been opened.