Staff Reporter
Police in Hwange have urged members of the public to desist from making illegal electricity cable connections in their houses following the electrocution to death of a woman in a fowl run last Thursday.
Lilian Mhlanga (41) of Madumabisa village was shocked to death by electricity after she tried to switch on a light in her fowl run.
She had connected a cable from the house to the fowl run where she kept chickens that she wanted to feed on the fateful day.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the incident.
“On 27 October 2022 and at around 1900 hours, Lilian Mhlanga entered a fowl run intending to feed her chickens. While switching on the lights, she was electrocuted and fell down to the floor,” said Insp Banda.
Her unnamed daughter later followed her to the fowl run to check on her and found her lying on the floor.
“She tried to hold her by her hand but she was also shocked by the electricity,” said the police.
The deceased’s daughter then alerted some neighbours for help and it was only when an electric breaker was tripped down by one of the neighbours that they managed to remove the body from the fowl run.
An unconscious Mhlanga was rushed to St Patrick’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Police and electrical engineers from Hwange Colliery Company Limited attended the scene and observed that the electricity connection from the house to the fowl run was illegal and some electricity conductors were not insulated.
“Members of the public are urged to do proper tubing and wiring of their fowl runs and outdoor workshops to avoid cases of electrocution by wires,” said Insp Banda.
