Today (14th) at about 3 am, a man surnamed Chen (63 years old) in a village house in Yan Tin Zi, Sai Kung, suddenly fainted while taking a shower in the bathroom. His 71-year-old cousin found out and called the police. The ambulance arrived at the scene. The victim was unconscious on the ground and faced the heat. The water heater felt a weak current on its body when it was moved. It was suspected that there was an electric shock. The Government Flying Service helicopter was sent to the hospital for rescue. Unfortunately, he died. The preliminary investigation by the police believed that the deceased was suspected of being electrocuted during the bath and was not suspicious. An autopsy will be arranged later The corpse determined the cause of death.
Wan Guanxin, president of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Electrical Engineering and Electrical Equipment Trade Union, said that the new electric water heater has a power cut-off function, and even if there is a leakage, it will trip immediately. The whole body is soaked, which makes it easier to get an electric shock, and the consequences are unimaginable. He suggested that you regularly check the electric water heater with a professional. If there is a problem, do not use it.
In the past, there have been many fatal accidents caused by the leakage of electricity from the water heater. In August 2020, a 36-year-old woman in Mong Kok lost contact with her and did not go to work. Her husband rushed back to the house in a subdivided apartment to reveal that her wife was comatose and trapped in the bathroom. Firefighters broke the door and rescued her. The female victim was confirmed dead, and the police suspected that the water heater leaked electricity while the woman was taking a bath.
In September 2007, a 22-year-old youth was electrocuted to death due to an electric water heater in a sub-unit on Un Chau Street, Sham Shui Po. The mother of the deceased filed a civil claim. The lawsuit was settled after ten years of entanglement, and the owner was willing to pay the plaintiff 2.5 million yuan in compensation.