• Sweden edition

Teen dead following train engine electrocution

Published: 1 Oct 09 07:39 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/22396/20091001/

A teenage boy died on Wednesday evening after being electrocuted when he climbed up on the engine of a train in Uddevalla in western Sweden.

The accident happened around 6pm shortly before the boy, a native of Halden in Norway, and his traveling companions were due to switch trains.

The boy was a member of a traveling swim team.

“He climbed up on the train so that a friend could take a picture of him. When the friend moved back to take the picture he heard how it started to sizzle up on the engine. When he turned he saw his friend being electrocuted,” police spokesperson Björ Blixter told the TT news agency.

The boy then fell lifeless to the ground.

Eight friends between the ages of 13- and 17-years-old witnessed the accident and were taken to the hospital in Uddevalla in a state of shock.

The boy was still alive when an ambulance arrived to take him to hospital. But around 8pm in the evening the hospital announced the boy had died.

The engine was not in service at the time of the incident.

“It’s extremely dangerous and strictly prohibited to climb on engines and carriages. It happens on average a few times a year that someone, usually a young person, dies or is seriously injured in these types of accidents,” said Bodil Sonesson, a spokesperson with the Swedish Rail Administration (Banverket), to TT.

“All it takes is to be close to a live cable for an accident to happen. The cables carry 16,000 volts and can create electrical arcs which can travel; you don’t have to be in direct contact with the cable.”

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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11:46 October 1, 2009 by Dr. Dillner
Nature has a wonderful way of removing idiots from the gene pool.
13:16 October 1, 2009 by benomax
@ Dr. Dillner: Your statement is so harsh, what kind of human being are you? Do you have a heart at all? I am sure the boy is not aware of the danger ahead, he just wanted to take a picture but unfortunately this happened. Lets not rush to make stupid comments, it could happen to anyone or someone related to you. I feel sorry for the parents of the boy and hope it will be a lesson to others.
13:40 October 1, 2009 by Beynch
@benomax

I too feel sorry for the parents of the electrocuted boy. I must however also agree with Dillner. I have to think that the boy knew what he was doing, since it is such common knowledge that the electricity in the catenary is lethal. Most of us knew since we were four not to go anywhere train overhead wires. The ancillary question is to ask what kind of parents he had.
14:09 October 1, 2009 by Nora
@benomax &Dr. Dillner

what the common knowledge is and the definition of an idiot are something to discuss; but having an insulting tone over the death of a young child is for sure being arrogant.
15:29 October 1, 2009 by Nemesis
Poor kid.

The boy just climbed up to get his picture taken. he was not a train engineer. He hadn't a clue and thought he was just getting his picture taken as did his friends.

Benomax and Beynch. I hope neither of you have children. there is something seriously wrong with your thought process.
23:39 October 1, 2009 by delusion1982
Isnt there a technological solution to these exposed wiring these days?
23:46 October 1, 2009 by DeepFriedTwinky
I have 2 children and at first I thought the kid was an idiot and should have known better. But, after thinking when I was young, there were many times I did stupid things...you're at age where you don't have many worries, you feel like nothing can happen to you, it just would happen to someone else. The kid probably thought the engine was off and no harm. Not many people know that it just doesn't take much to get shock, you don't have to touch the cable or hardware because being near it is enough to end your life. There was an incident in the US where two kids climb this tower which held some power lines. Well, they didn't touch the lines, it arc and killed him.

I'm pretty sure his surviving friends now know better. It's a freak accident that someone had to pay the hard way.

I feel sorry for his parents. . .their kid was suppose to out live them. Sad.
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