Three men have been electrocuted in Onitsha, Anambra State, after an iron pole they were attempting to erect for a water tank fell onto an 11kV overhead electricity line.
PUNCH Online gathered that the incident occurred on Monday at No. 123, Old Port Harcourt Road, Fegge, where the owner of a two-storey building had engaged a contractor to sink a borehole.
The victims, identified as Chukwudi Ukwa, Frank Okafor and Somadina Nwabuike, reportedly arrived at the premises with the contractor and were attempting to erect the pole when it fell onto the electricity line, electrocuting them.
Their bodies were subsequently taken to the General Hospital, Onitsha, by police officers from the Fegge Division.
Officers at the division confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Tuesday on condition of anonymity.
They said the building owner, identified simply as Mr Steven, was assisting the police with their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Reacting to the deaths, FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited expressed concern, describing the incident as a reminder of the dangers of carrying out construction and installation work near overhead electricity lines without observing the required safety precautions.
In a statement signed by its Head of Communications, Izunna Okafor, on Tuesday, the company warned property owners, contractors and artisans against erecting water tanks, handling long metal objects or undertaking construction activities close to power lines without adequate safety clearance.
It explained that metal objects that come into contact with energised electricity lines could conduct current and cause fatal electrocution, even when those handling them did not deliberately touch the wires.
The statement read, “FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited has expressed concern over the death of three men who were reportedly electrocuted on Monday, October 19, 2026, at No. 123, Old Port Harcourt Road, Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, after an iron pole they were attempting to erect for a water tank fell onto an 11kV electricity line.”
According to the company, the incident occurred at a compound where the building owner had engaged a contractor to sink a borehole.
It said the contractor arrived with three workers who were attempting to erect the pole when it fell onto the overhead electricity line, resulting in their deaths.
The company said the incident highlighted the dangers of carrying out construction, borehole drilling, tank installation and other activities close to overhead electricity lines without observing the required safety clearances.
According to Okafor, such incidents could be prevented if property owners, contractors, artisans and members of the public complied with established electrical safety requirements and kept people, equipment and materials at a safe distance from overhead lines.
He added that the company had continued to conduct electricity safety awareness campaigns in markets, motor parks, streets, schools and communities across Anambra State.
The campaigns, he said, warned against erecting buildings, setting up stalls or carrying out other activities within electricity line rights-of-way without the required safety clearance.
The statement also cautioned against setting up trading stalls, canopies and water tanks, erecting scaffolding or handling long metal objects near electricity infrastructure, warning that such activities could endanger workers, passers-by and nearby residents.
The company urged property owners to ensure that contractors engaged for borehole drilling, building construction, water tank installation and roofing took overhead electricity lines into account before commencing work.
It also advised contractors and artisans to assess their work areas, maintain prescribed safety clearances and avoid lifting or erecting metal poles near overhead conductors without professional guidance and appropriate safety precautions.
Members of the public were advised not to touch fallen electricity wires or attempt to move objects that had come into contact with power lines. The company urged them to report suspected electrical hazards immediately and keep a safe distance from affected areas.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the police through the state command’s spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his telephone line were not answered on Tuesday.