The Tiruchi Railway Division of the Southern Railway has urged the public and rail passengers to exercise extreme caution near Railway Overhead Equipment (OHE), which carries 25,000 volts.
In an official statement, the Railways warned that even approaching these live wires can be extremely dangerous, as electric current can arc through the air and cause fatal accidents.
The appeal follows two cases of electrocution reported within the division last month. On October 6, a 49-year-old man sustained burns after coming into contact with a high-tension overhead wire after climbing onto an empty goods train at Ulundurpet Goods Yard. He was rushed to the Government Hospital at Ulundurpet, but he was declared dead.
On October 19, a 16-year-old boy from Ulundurpet climbed onto a stationary tanker wagon at the same yard and came into contact with the live overhead wire. He suffered a severe electric shock and fell onto the track. After being treated initially at the Ulundurpet Government Hospital, he was referred to a private hospital in Chennai, but later died of his injuries.
Safety guidelines
