Death is one of the saddest life happenings that most human beings often don’t like to talk about let alone experiencing. But why would some people dare death by living and doing business under high risk places?
The question appears apposite following the tumultuous number of people living and carrying out myriad of businesses under high tension wires and electric poles.
The appearance of some of the wires, especially those on distribution poles instills fears. Some are already sagging and almost dropping on houses under them, while some others are already cutting into two as the wires used to join two different points together are already flabby and agitating for freedom.
“The live wires supplying power to our houses have turned to rope. They snap and cut at regular intervals. For us in this community, we don’t need to wait till Yuletide season to see fire crackers because the live wires give us enough fire works from time to time. When this happens, you will see people running helter-skelter to avoid being touched by the sparks. Unfortunately, there are shops and houses under them. Such incident can easily lead to fire incident that can claim many lives,’” Wale, a resident of Oko- Filling area along Igando, in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, said.
Checks across different communities in Lagos State revealed that most traders carrying out their trade under live electric wires are not unaware of the dangers inherent in doing so. In fact, some of the traders surprisingly told our correspondent that they occasionally experience electric shock when they hold objects made with iron or steel with their bare hands.
A mobile phone card seller at Powerline area along LASU/Igando Road, Lagos, who gave her name as Elizabeth, said she was not unaware of the dangers inherent in staying under a high tension wire but since she has no alternative means of livelihood, she has to manage what she has.
“I do have fears but there is nothing that I can do about it. I came here to work and since I got the job, I can’t abandon it because there is danger in the air. Like I said earlier, I quite know that there is huge danger in sitting under a high tension wire to do business but there is nothing one can do about it. We will only continue to pray that God should not allow such calamity to happen around us because if it does happen, every one of us sitting under the wire will be burnt to ashes.
“I once witnessed where a live wire snapped. The incident took place along Calvary Bus Stop along Ikotun Road. When the wire fell, the ground shook vigorously throwing everybody within the area into confusion. A man who was close to the place was lucky to have escaped before the impact got to where he was.”
Though no calamity has been recorded in the area, she told The Nation that they sometimes experience electric shock whenever they touch objects made with iron or steel.
“At times when I try to roll up my umbrella and my hand mistakenly touches the iron, I do experience some shock. Each time that happens, I would tie cloth around my hand to roll up the umbrella. Apart from my personal experience, there is a woman who hawks fruits. Each time she comes here, the tray used to cause some electric shock when one tries to help her put the tray down.
A food vendor, who identified herself as Rasheeda Gbadamosi, also confirmed Elizabeth’s claim that people sitting under high tension do occasionally experience electric shock when they touch steel and iron. “ I had similar experiences too. There was a time I would want to take stainless cups and the next thing I would experience is electric shock. My knives too at that point were electrically shocking me. We were always using clothes to hold any object with steel or iron to avoid such discomforting electrical shock. But it has stopped for some time.
“I wouldn’t have stayed here to do business if I had the means of getting a shop in a safer place. Since that is not possible, I would continue to endure the attendant challenges. I wish the government could do something about things like this so that it would never pose any challenges to people. They could put something under it so that if it snaps for any reason, it will fall under the thing that has been put under it.”
Another business man in the axis, who gave his name as Desmond, also said he had experienced electric shock at different times. “There was a time I touched a vehicle under the high tension and I had some shock. The water around the place too was also causing some shock. The incident occurs very often when there is power supply. If there is no power supply, you can even swing on the high tension. It is scary and disturbing because what I know is that electric shocks drain the blood. The more electric shocks you experience, the more the blood you lose.
“We have closed our eyes to the danger because once you continue to put your attention on it, you will be emotionally and psychologically disturbed. Besides, the quest for survival is why we ignore the dangers to do business here. Since the government is not providing jobs for the citizens, everybody is doing everything possible to earn a living. The truth is that there is hunger in the land and for poor people like us who do not have the mind to engage in criminal activities, the quest for engaging in legitimate ventures for survival overrides any feeling that danger lurks somewhere. Hunger is more certain than the danger you are talking about. We always believe that with prayers, dangers can be averted but no amount of prayer can avert hunger.”
Speaking in the same vein, a vulcanizer, who did not want his name in print, said: “I just came here last year and by God’s grace, there has been no problem at all. The God that owns today, tomorrow and the after will not allow any evil to befall me. Actually if I have money to get a safer place, I would have done so instead of taking the risk of doing my work under a high tension. I am here because it is by the road side where customers can easily see me. It is what I would eat that I am out to look for and I pray that I would never come across what will consume me.”
A businessman-cum-electrician, who gave his name as Adebimpe Amos, however, dismissed the claim that people trading under high tension wires still experience some electric shock.
Amos, who does business along Ile Iwe Road, Ikotun Lagos, said: “ We have never experienced any calamity from either a high tension or a distribution line. The claim that people doing business under high tension experience some electric shock when they hold objects with iron or steel, is no longer valid. It used to be so in the past but it has ceased to be so with the use of modern technology. It used to be naked wire before but now, it is protected. Even if it falls here now, it will not cause any harm. When you go to Powerline area, you will see one of the wires that is cut and dangling. It has done nobody any harm. There is nothing to fear about it anymore. I am speaking to you as a trained electrician. I am telling you the truth.
“Some 15 to 20 years ago, the high tension was a no go area. Back then when this place was a bush, the wires would be making deafening and scary sounds. At times, the noise would be sounding like gunshots. Then, people living far away from the high tension wire with the aid of tester find light on any iron in their house.”
He, however, agreed that the distribution lines are susceptible to snapping and causing harm. “ Yes, that one is still very dangerous. The wires are still naked and certainly would wreak havoc if it snaps and comes in contact with human beings or any living thing”.
Engineer speaks on risk involved in staying under high tension wires
An electrical engineer, Mr Damian Nwogbo, in a telephone chat with The Nation, dismissed any insinuation that high tension wires have ceased to be destructive when they fall from the poles.
According to him, “There is an engineering standard that forbids people from building houses under high tension wires. But you know that we Nigerians abuse laws. We don’t obey such regulations. The high tension wires emit hazardous radiations, which are harmful to human health. As you stay under it, the radiation goes into you and tomorrow it will begin to tell on you.
“If you are close to high tension wires, you will notice that it makes noise. That noise is also not good for our health. It is just like being exposed to generator noise. If the wire falls down with power on it, it will not only roast the person, the person will also turn to charcoal. Do you know what is inside that thing? 33 KVA! It is more dangerous than the live wire you see on distribution lines.
“ If you are aware that distribution cables are harmful, what about the one that is on top of it? Normally you step down the amount of light on high tension for home usage. So, that the high tension is more hazardous, it is more harmful.”
Examining the effect of climate change on high tension and distribution wires, Nwogbo said: “The climate challenge we are having these days is not helping issues. The kind of wind we have these days is very unusual. Before rain falls these days, you would see a wind that will come like cyclone. That is capable of making the pole to fall or cause the wire to cut.”
The engineer went on to give two suggestions on how the government to put an end to the calamities caused by live electric wires. “One of the things that the federal government or the people in charge should do is to constantly monitor these high tension wires and electric poles.
“There is also the need for constant sensitisation of the people to the danger involved in living close to it or under it. In some places, you will find some houses almost directly under high tension wires,” he said.