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Felix Odhiambo
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A man has told a really interesting story of how he narrowly escaped tragic death after he got electrocuted.
The man identified a Felix Odhiambo survived an electrocution in April this year and now tells his story.
Odhiambo, a 23-year-old now uses crutches to walk after sustaining eight per cent burns, while installing a large electricity metre in Industrial Area, Nakuru County, Kenya, where the father of one recalls the deadly incident that left him handing on an electrical pole for 30 minutes.
According to SDE, Odhiambo’s colleague, Peter Omande, who was with him at the time of the incident and who sustained 50 per cent burns, was not so lucky. Omande, a father of six, died three days later.
Odhiambo recalls that at the station where they were doing the installation, there was a group of electricians who were replacing wooden electrical poles with concrete ones. Peter Omande was with the group that was replacing the poles.
They waited patiently and at around 4pm, the electricians began installing large power metres and on completing the assignment at around 5pm, Odhiambo was allegedly instructed by a Kenya Power supervisor to help in tightening a manual switch. He could not manage it alone and the late Omande volunteered to assist.
A few minutes later and while hitting a tap link to tighten the switch, Odhiambo found himself hanging on the poles upside down.
He recalls that the power was connected from the main switch without communication with the Kenya Power supervisor who was at the scene, an allegation Kenya Power Managing Director, Dr Ben Chumo denied.
Odhiambo reveals that electricians are always accompanied to work station by supervisors who communicate with the Kenya Power control room. For safety, each individual is required to have a helmet, belt and an overall.
“If there was communication, my friend could not have died. I could also not be in such a sickly condition,”complains Odhiambo who became unconscious for 10 minutes. He regained consciousness 30 minutes later and was still hanging on the pole with blood flowed from his mouth and nose. He began praying to God to save his life.
The man who lives in Isinya, Kajiado County, remembered his loving wife, who was then pregnant and his mother, a widow who lives alone in their ancestral home in Nyanza.
“I did not know what happened. I found myself bleeding profusely and people also surrounded the scene and were screaming. I knew my life was no more. I prayed a lot and wished to see my wife and mother before dying,”recalls Odhiambo who was rushed to Valley Hospital by Kenya Power employees.
Omande was also rushed to the same hospital. He was in acute pain, crying and could not eat.
Odhiambo could not believe that he survived death after he saw the video clip of the incident on social media.
“In my hospital bed, I was full of tears. I watched the video clip in disbelief,” he says. “The death of Omande shocked me. I did not believe it. I knew I was the next victim.”
Odhiambo was referred to Kitengela Medical Centre and later to the Kenyatta National Hospital where he was admitted on April 10.
On examination, doctors found out that his left hip was dislocated. He underwent an operation and a cannulated screw was used to fix and guide a wire to support the hip. Three middle fingers on his left hand were also amputated at the hospital before he was discharged on August 10.
Odhiambo’s left arm was grafted and this requires careful dressing to avoid infections.
The condition has left the once industrious man a ‘beggar’ as he depends on well-wishers for financial support to pay rent and feed himself. His wife is currently staying with his mother in the village.
Odhiambo says that Easy-Take Company, which had been contracted by Kenya Power to carry out the installation, paid the hospital bill but “I do not know anything about compensation because the company said it’s waiting for me to heal before pushing for anything.”
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