ILOILO — An 11-year-old boy died while a 25-year-old man was hospitalized after being electrocuted during a town fiesta foam party in Barangay Poblacion, Banate town early Thursday morning, June 25.
Authorities identified the fatality as alias “Prince” and the injured victim as alias “Kent,” both residents of the town’s Barangay Magdalo. The incident occurred at around 1:30 a.m. at Esplanade 1.
Police Lieutenant Maria Cherry Demarana of the Banate Municipal Police Station said the event organizers had cordoned off the stage area using steel barriers and ropes to keep the crowd at a safe distance during the foam party, which was held in celebration of the municipal fiesta on June 24.
However, security personnel failed to notice the two victims slipping underneath the cordoned perimeter. The disc jockey on stage raised the alarm after spotting the two being electrocuted.
According to a One Western Visayas report, Kent was the first to accidentally step on a live electrical wire and began convulsing from the shock. Police said Prince immediately tried to pull Kent away to save him, however the electrical current transferred to the child, leading to his fatal electrocution.
Prince was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead by the attending physician. Meanwhile, responding police officers successfully revived Kent, who was in stable condition at the hospital as of press time.
Mayor Peter Paul Gonzales has assured the family of the deceased that the local government unit will provide full assistance.
As of this writing, local authorities continued their investigation to determine who will be held liable for the safety breach./PN
