ON-DUTY TRAGEDIES
Nashik: Two wiremen associated with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited ( MSEDCL ), including one outsourced worker and one regular employee, lost their lives in separate electrocution tragedies in Jalgaon district within 27 days, raising fresh concerns over safety during maintenance operations. The first incident claimed the life of Mahesh Apar, an outsourced worker, on Sept 28 in the Kusumb area of Jalgaon. The second fatality was reported on Oct 25 in the MIDC area, where MSEDCL employee Kiran Sapkale died during maintenance work.
Believing the line was de-energised, he climbed the pole, received an electric shock, lost his balance and fell, suffering fatal injuries.” Apar was carrying out repair work on an electricity pole when he allegedly came into contact with a live wire and suffered an electric shock. After finishing the task and while returning to the office, Sapkale noticed a creeper wrapped around an electricity pole. He cut it at the base and then tried to remove it completely.
A senior MSEDCL official said, “Sapkale and his team were carrying out routine maintenance and repairs on Sunday, when power supply to industries is typically shut under a staggered schedule to facilitate such work.