Street lamp that electrocuted boy had no ELCB, says Fenaka
While Fenaka supplies electricity to street lighting systems on many islands, responsibility for maintaining those systems lies with the respective council.
Fenaka Corporation has stated that the street lamp involved in the electrocution of a 14-year-old boy in L. Gan did not have an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) installed.
The incident occurred during the Eid holidays and left the boy hospitalised. He was initially treated in Gan before being transferred to Malé for further medical care.
The boy's mother has alleged that the incident resulted from failures in electrical safety measures. She noted that power should automatically disconnect when a fault occurs, preventing prolonged exposure to an electrical current.
An ELCB is designed to cut the electricity supply when leakage current is detected.
A Fenaka official said that the boy and several other children attempted to obtain electricity from the street lamp on the night of the incident.
According to the official, the street lamp did not have an ELCB installed.
“It is the responsibility of the island councils to inspect and ensure that ELCBs are in place and that safety standards are maintained. We are currently investigating this matter,” the official said.
While Fenaka supplies electricity to street lighting systems on many islands, responsibility for maintaining those systems lies with the respective island councils.
The incident has renewed attention on electrical safety measures relating to public infrastructure.
In 2024, two children were electrocuted while playing in a flooded area near a street lamp in R. Ungoofaaru. An 18-year-old who entered the water in an attempt to assist them also died in the incident.
Following an investigation into that case, the Utility Regulatory Authority held Fenaka responsible for negligence and imposed a fine of MVR 50,000.
After the ruling, authorities issued a directive requiring the installation of ELCBs on street lighting systems across the country.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident in L. Gan.
The condition of the 14-year-old boy has improved in recent days. Health authorities previously confirmed that he had been removed from ventilator support, although he remains under medical care.
