Cherthala toddler suffers burn injuries after 11kV line mishap

Cherthala: Following the alleged explosion of an 11kV electric line insulator, several residents in the Cherthala area were electrocuted as excessive current flowed through the ground. Among the affected was a one-and-a-half-year-old child, who was admitted to Kottayam Medical College Hospital after suffering burns on his left hand. It is reported that many electronic devices in the area were also damaged. The toddler, identified as Nadeer's son Ishan, resides in ward nine of Kadakkarappally.

The incident occurred on Monday around 10 a.m. when an insulator on an 11kV line, which supplies electricity from the Cherthala substation to the Arthunkal feeder, exploded.

Nearby residents experienced electric shocks. Bulbs and tubes in Kalathiparambil Nasser's house were destroyed. His wife Rasheeda and daughter-in-law Risana, who were outside the house, were the first to get electrocuted. Shortly after, Ishan, who was holding an iron grill in the house, was burnt. Rasheeda ran to take the toddler away from the grill.

Initially, the toddler was taken to the Taluk hospital, but due to his irregular heartbeat, he was transferred to the medical college hospital. It was also reported that as they were leaving the house to take the toddler to the hospital, they experienced slight electric shocks.

Nearby houses and shops faced minor problems. It was only later realised that the electric shocks were due to the explosion.

Retired chief engineer S.R. Anand told the Mathrubhumi team that thin cracks may have developed in the insulator during the extreme summer, and during the rainy season, water may have seeped into these cracks, causing the explosion. Anand added that a detailed inspection is required to determine the exact cause, as this is a very rare situation.

Local residents alleged that despite understanding the gravity of the situation, Pattanakkad KSEB staff arrived almost an hour late to the accident site. However, KSEB officials dismissed this claim, stating that their staff arrived on time and conducted a preliminary examination. It was found that the insulator broke unexpectedly, causing a small amount of electricity to flow through the ground. Officials also noted that houses with proper earthing were not affected by this incident.