electrocution by fence

[pudgybear]

Here in Michigan a 13 year old boy has died from electrocution as he was on the metal football field stand leaning against a chain link fence, a lady who tried to help him got a shock but she is ok, Police can not find the cause, nobody else on the stand was shocked - My question is WHAT could have caused this accident. this incident happened 2 weeks ago and he just passed away this weekend

 

[WanderingSol07]

There is a hot wire touching the fence or the stands somewhere and he provided a good conductor to ground by touching both.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Unfortunately, these kinds of stories come up a few times every year. As mentioned, there has to be a loose hot wire somewhere making contact with the fence or the stand, maybe from a field light or a receptacle, and he completed the circuit.

 

[1Garageman]

Here is the sad news story about it.

Here is the news cast.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/13-year-old-shocked-in-football-stands-at-lincoln-high-school

http://www.heritage.com/articles/2014/10/07/ypsilanti_courier/news/doc5432c57bc8de9483278144.txt

 

[rsanter]

Unless it was high power it usually does not kill the person.
Most of the people that die from electrocution from lower voltages are due to an undiagnosed heart problem. That covers almost 10% of the population

Bob

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Unless it was high power it usually does not kill the person.
Most of the people that die from electrocution from lower voltages are due to an undiagnosed heart problem. That covers almost 10% of the population

Bob

High power as in what? 120v can kill someone. More than 5ma can also kill someone. Just thr reason GFCI trip at 5ma!

And BTW, many standium lighting systems operate on 480v!

 

[theoldwizard1]

I don't know if they have found out exactly what charged that fence. Which means this could happen again !

 

[texasfiremedic]

Could be coming from an underground wire that was punched when the fence was constructed?

 

[Cmreschke]

It really depends on the path that the current takes through the body, thru fingers not an issue but from hand to foot, it crisses the heart then your chances are much greater for a fatal shock.

 

[kaffine]

My guess would be improper grounding of the fence. If the fence was grounded correctly it would trip the breaker of what ever hot wire it came in contact with.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My guess would be improper grounding of the fence. If the fence was grounded correctly it would trip the breaker of what ever hot wire it came in contact with.

In a normal setting fences arent typically grounded as in connected to a breaker panel. The only scenarios that call for fence grounding are substations and cell and radio tower sites.

f youre thinking of a grounding electrode, that probably wouldnt be effective because grounding electrodes are for grounding lightning and earth's resistance usually isnt low enough for current to travel from say a fence post through the earth and into the ground rod.

 

[7thDimension]

Doesn't a metal fence already make a decent connection to ground on its own? I mean it's supported by metal that goes into the ground in a whole bunch of places...

So how is it possible that somebody could be shocked by touching the fence? Wouldn't the electricity just travel directly through the fence into the ground? It wouldn't go through a (poorly conducting) human being unless the entire fence was insulated from the ground somehow and I've never seen a fence like that.


So, how is this possible?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Doesn't a metal fence already make a decent connection to ground on its own? I mean it's supported by metal that goes into the ground in a whole bunch of places...

So how is it possible that somebody could be shocked by touching the fence? Wouldn't the electricity just travel directly through the fence into the ground? It wouldn't go through a (poorly conducting) human being unless the entire fence was insulated from the ground somehow and I've never seen a fence like that.


So, how is this possible?

Keep in mind theres 2 different types of grounds. A grounding electrode such as a ground rod, is for grounding out lightning. The other ground is an egc, equipment grounding conductor, used to create a low impedance fault path.

Also keep in mind, contrary to popular misconception, that electricity returns to its source NOT THE earth or the ground. The only thing the fence post could do is dissipate lightning but wouldnt be very effective seeing as the metal isnt as conductive as copper and doesnt go as far down as a grounding electrode. Now it is possible for electricity to travel from say an energized fence post through the earth and into a ground rod. But this is rare and depends on the resistance of the soil! Since obviously a breaker didnt trip this wasnt the case!

Heres one way this could have happened. The bleachers are grounded(bonded) via some conduit and an underground wire with broken insulation is touching the fence. Since the fence isnt grounded/bonded to the electrical panel, the feeding breaker doesnt trip. When an unsuspecting person standing on the bleachers leans over and touches the fence, a circuit is completed(hot fence to ground) through the person. This is just the reason to have proper grounding and bonding!

And i have personally seen this happen before!

 

[sberry]

I have seen faulty or missing panel bonds too. We had one similar a while back near here, never did hear the outcome but someone knew there was a problem along the way and didn't service it.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Voltage is not the "killer" Amperage is. 200 milliamps for more than about 5 seconds will most likely kill you. Where voltage factors in is the higher the voltage, the less resistance your skin has to amperage flow.

Tommy

 

[Kevin54]

Hell....it could be something that some ******* did just for kicks. That's just like the one that used the green laser light at the football game.

There are some sick bastages out there.

 

[sberry]

There are a lot of faulty electrical installations in the world, a lot of old ones. Most of them don't end up in accidents. I see them all the time, got a shock from a machine on a farm a while back, the old fart wired up some brain fart he should have used a power strip for.