‘Flying’ electrical connection kills Mankayan woman

LETTERS FROM,THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

This should serve as warning to power consumers who are non-electricians but tinker with electrical connections.

Family members of Mrs. Lolita Bugatan, 63, a resident of Bulalacao, Mankayan; waited and became more worried the following day when she failed to be home on the night of March 12, 2013. It had been raining for two consecutive nights.

Meanwhile, Engr. Art Bacoco at the Benguet Electric Cooperative office in Abatan was informed about the body of an old woman that was found dead in the garden. Upon receiving the information, he immediately dispatched a team to investigate the unfortunate incident, together with Barangay Chair Pablito Espada and some residents.

Espada said the victim was apparently electrocuted as they found her fallen on the ground at around 3pm with her right hand still clutching the 150-meter long No. 6/7 Duplex wire that was tapped to a house nearby.

In his report to Bacoco, Beneco Technical Services Supervisor Roy P. Olatic said the old woman tapped the wire to the nearby house to supply power to a water pump for watering the vegetable garden.

However, the flying connection that was connected to the circuit breaker of the house with an electrical connection account in the name of a certain Baldo Pacsi was not tapped correctly.

Olatic reported that the bare wire of the Duplex wire was connected to the live wire from the house, while the coated wire was connected to the neutral wire.

“The connection was wrong as it was reversed,” Bacoco told Beneco Gen. Mngr. Gerardo Versoza and the BOD who were in a meeting presided by Quirino Hill Punong Barangay Peter Busaing.

Director Busaing took over as president from lawyer Jerry Marave who is now campaigning for a seat in the provincial board of Benguet’s First District.

 In the same report, Olatic recommended that IECs regarding “flying” and illegal connections should be strengthened to avoid future accidents and untimely deaths.

He further said that Beneco must require its field men and meter readers to make reports about consumer-members who provide electrical services to neighboring structures illegally.

Dir. Gaspar Leung who represents the towns of Mankayan and Buguias in the Beneco board said financial assistance for Mrs. Bugatan’s family is under process. –marchfianza777@yahoo.com