An American tourist was killed when he slipped on a wet pavement and was electrocuted by a faulty streetlight in Phuket, authorities said on Friday.
Thura Kyaw, 33, from New York, was walking with his girlfriend to a seafood restaurant in Don Jom Thao Road in tambon Thep Krasattri of Thalang district at 9.30pm on Thursday when he fell and tried to steady himself on a light pole, the New York Post reported.
The pole, which might have had a live wire, shocked the man into unconsciousness and he was rushed to a nearby hospital, Pol Maj Thanom Thongpaen told Thai media.
Dramatic closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed passers-by rushing over to rescue the unconscious man. They administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but could not revive him.
“I saw that the man had fallen, but his leg was still touching the pole. I tried to touch him but I was zapped myself,” the witness, identified only as Phiew, told Asia Pacific Press.
“I managed to remove his leg from the streetlight before calling an ambulance,” he said.
Kyaw, who also has Myanmar nationality, had flown from the United States (US) a week ago to visit his long-distance partner, whom he had not seen in six years, according to a friend.
“I was eating dinner at the restaurant when they arrived. His girlfriend was walking ahead, and he slipped on the wet ground while following her,” the friend said.
Officials from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) cut off power to the light pole, which carried 220 volts of electricity, to prevent another accident.
They said the streetlight is the responsibility of the Phuket Highway District Office and advised residents to call the office to arrange for repairs.
The exposed section of the streetlight pole was believed to have contained a live wire. (Photo: Phuket Hotnews Facebook)