Teenager electrocuted, four injured in Mowe market disaster

• Council boss sympathises with shop owners, orders removal of those under high tension

A teen girl has died of electrocution as a result of Monday’s rain storm at Mowe market in Obafemi-Owode Local Council of Ogun State. She was one of the five people that suffered electric shocks during the incident.

This was disclosed when the council Chairman, Ogunsola Adesina paid an unscheduled visit to Mowe market and the Health Post, where the victims were receiving treatments.

The Guardian gathered that the rainstorm affected some electric poles, which led to electrocution of five people, including the teenager. An eye witness said the electric shock started from the stepdown transformer suspended on an electrical pole next to the shop where the incident happened as at the time the shop owners arrived for their daily sales in the market.

According to the witness, the victims sustained degrees of burnt as a result of electrocution and were rushed to the health post but the teenager died before she was brought to the health post for medical care.

The council boss, who visited the victims who are receiving treatments at Mowe Health Post, assured them of quality medical care with all the expenses to be paid by the government.

He seized the opportunity to address nursing mothers on proper care of children and importance of anti-natal clinic, and gave financial support to those in attendance.

Community Health Officer, Mrs. Oriyomi Odunayo, who is attending to the victims explained that the remaining four people are responding well to treatment, and would soon be discharged to their various homes.

Meanwhile, Adesina has given shop owners under high-tension cables a seven-day ultimatum to remove it as well as to give access on the walkways for pedestrians in the market.

He said: I am not pleased with the news of people being electrocuted here. it is a great loss for a young girl to die due to nonchalant attitude of our people, imagine having your shops close to an electrical pole that carries stepdown transformer.

“Let me also add that everyone who has extended shop beyond where it should, particularly those under high-tension cables, start removing it from today.”

Adesina was accompanied during the visits by the Baale of Mowe, Chief Alhaji Yaya Oriyomi, Babaloja of Mowe market, Chief Nurudeen Aina, Iyaloja of Mowe market, Chief Mrs. Morufat Odebiyi and a team of police officers from Mowe Divisional office, among others.