Man survives 69,000-volt shock from transformer

The man, whose name has been withheld, was set ablaze by a transformer near the Jiu Chu working station of the Kaohsiung Irrigation Association. The fire had burned 80 percent of his body.

According to irrigation workers who were present, the man used an aluminum crane to climb the three-meter high transformer. After a loud “thud,” the workers found him ablaze and quickly poured water on him, extinguishing the fire. Police surmised that it was the cane coming into contact with the transformer that electrified the man and threw him to the ground. Officers are still investigating the use of the aluminum crane, trying to determine whether it was used as a walking-aid or specifically for the purpose of climbing up the transformer.

The investigation has so far revealed that the man was an alumnus of the Yung Ta Institute of Technology & Commerce. He allegedly bypassed the “Warning: High Voltage” sign and told workers who questioned him that he was an electrical engineer and was there to research and understand the workings of the high-voltage transformer.

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