LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – A driver was electrocuted to death after the public utility jeepney he was driving hit a live wire of the Albay Electric Cooperative at noon here on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
THE body of a jeepney driver lies on the ground after he was electrocuted and his vehicle caught fire in Legazpi City on Wednesday, Oct. 23. (Niño N. Luces)
The victim was identified as Henry Dalde, 54, of Barangay 24 Rizal, Legazpi City.
A witness told the Manila Bulletin that Dalde's jeepney touched a hanging high-voltage power cable on a road at Imperial Court Subdivision.
Dalde tried to remove the wire but the victim was electrocuted and his jeepney caught fire.
The witness said Dalde might not have expected that the power cable was live as there was a brownout in the area due to tropical storm "Kristine."
"Hindi siguro niya ini-expect na nay kuryente na 'yun. Brownout kasi dahil sa bagyo. Tapos nagliyab na yung jeep at nasunog na siya," the witness said.
(He did not expect that it was energized. There was a brownout because of the storm. The jeepney caught fire and he was burned)
Police officers who happened to be in the area tried to save the victim but had to pull back due danger.
"Nakita namin na nanginginig pa at susubukan sana namin na i-rescue kaso mapanganib. Kuryente at high voltage pa kasi," a police officer said.
(We saw him shivering and we tried to rescue him but it was too dangerous due to high-voltage electricity)
Scene-of-the-Crime Operatives (SOCO) are processing the scene as of posting time. The Legazpi City Police Station (LCPS) is probing the incident.