At least five individuals were fatally electrocuted while attempting to install a billboard in the Obiri-Ikwerre area of Rumuosi within the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Monday.
Four additional individuals were struggling for survival at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) after being swiftly taken there for medical treatment.
It was discovered that the prominent outdoor advertisement, a significant billboard, had a metal frame that accidentally came into contact with a high-tension cable, resulting in a spark. The group of nine men had been lifting the massive structure when its metal part unintentionally made contact with the cable, causing an instantaneous flow of current.
Reportedly, the individuals affected were private entrepreneurs who had been hired by a church to install the billboard.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the representative from the state’s police command, confirmed the occurrence of the incident and characterized it as a regrettable event.
The police are currently working to establish the precise details of the incident.