Twenty-eight wedding guests were electrocuted Friday as an overhead cable came in contact with their bus in central India, police said.
Twenty-three women, three men and two children died. Five passengers jumped to safety and suffered minor injuries. The bus driver was not injured.
The high-voltage wire touched an iron wardrobe on the roof of the bus as it stopped at Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh state, said top district administrator K.K. Khare.
As passengers began stepping down while holding the steel railings, the current passed to the ground to cause a jolting electric shock in the bus, Khare said.
Do they still need to pay the caterer for the original number of guests?
it is pity that cnn broad cast this on their web site. when some indian is killed by gun point in usa they do not have dare to broad cast it. it is shame to you guys when you broad cast poor indian stories.
thats india for you the rich and politicians dont care about the poor hungrey masses, if this accident had been a rich load of people on a bus some heads would roll in their goverment. india keep treating your poor people like crap see the karma that will occur.
Okay its an accident which could have been prevented had the passengers in the bus had commonsense and kept their cool.How about regular road accidents that happen in countries which could have been avoided had the driver paid attention or not do text messaging or talk on cell phones or even not work in their laptops unless its an emergency.What would you say to them or the damages that happen or the lives that are lost.
OK, let's get some facts straight:
1. It's quite likely that no one was aware that a live wire was in contact with the bus. It's not as if there would be obvious signs, other than some potential sparking on the roof, which people inside the bus can't see.
2. One person stepping off the bus while in contact with the metal railing can run current through any other conductive material in contact with that railing, including people and other metal. This means that the first person to step down would likely cause the deaths of many people inside the bus.
3. For all of the "The US is the best" comments – remember that our armed forces lost around a dozen service members in Iraq because an American contractor couldn't figure out how to perform simple wiring (most of them died in the shower due to faulty grounding).
4. In the end, there are dozens of people dead. Mocking them is classless and tasteless. You don't denigrate them at all, you only provide evidence to the world of your own lack of character.
I can say honestly without a doubt the comments on this article have taught many readers about the transfer of electricity through steel and the human body!
Now please give us a break on the conductivity of electricity and try to understand this article and the tragic consequences that resulted from your favorite topic of electrical current.
I'm sure if anyone was really interested in electrical conductivity that much they would probably GOOGLE the topic.
My sympaththy to the victims and familes of this tragedy.
Unfortunate accident. High voltage is not dangerous, but a tiny current which passes through human body can kill you or seriously hurt you. Therefore, the people jumping (Not walking) away or staying on the bus were safe. In this case the bus has the same potential as the high voltage cable, there is no current through the bus which is electrically insulated by the rubber tires of the bus. When those persons got off the bus while touching the bus and the ground at the same time, an electric current path was created through the cable, bus (metal part), human body, and the ground, they would be electrocuted. It's the same when you see a fallen high voltage wire, don't run away, jump away with two feet as close as possible.
"...In the end, there are dozens of people dead. Mocking them is classless and tasteless. You don't denigrate them at all, you only provide evidence to the world of your own lack of character."
Thanks, Chris, well put.
To anyone in the international community who thinks that the U.S. is a nation of classless, obnoxious, unfeeling boors; you're at least half correct.
Yeah I think Americans have shows their true colors in these posts. What little undertanding of the rest of the world. Based on how things are going looks like we will be the ones getting knocked for being third world soon and where will all the hubris be then?
When a loved one is being shocked, its human nature to try and pull them free – then you get shocked – I this this shows a chain reaction of 28 people trying to save other family members or relatives.
28 jobs may be staying in the U.S. a bit longer...but considering all the typos I am seeing on this, perhaps that's not a good thing!
It is a terrible tragedy. These people were part of a wedding party and look what happened.
Th people responsible for this accident are the engineers and maintenance people of the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board. Such organizations are one of the most corrupt in India. It is a known fact that, in India, more than 25% of the generated electricity is stolen with help from the people who are part of these electricity boards. Serving the people in a safe and efficient manner is out of the minds of these people.
I happen to be an engineer and am disgusted with the poor quality of goods and services delivered to the Indian people. Electricity is a very useful utility, but needs to be delivered with care. India has a large population of citizens who are not literate let alone be aware of the intricacies of how to avoid getting electrocuted when you are traveling in a bus. Safety standards should be respected and services rendered to citizens in the most fail safe fashion that is possible.
Here, in this country, its common to see electric wires snapping during snow or thunder storms. But, service providers immediately pitch in to avoid injuries to anyone. I agree that USA is the Best and MOST PROPERLY ENGINEERED COUNTRY in the world.
Pat
The infrastructure is in shambles! That's why I'd never travel to countries such as this. VERY sad that individuals die left and right.
It's not such a shame. Them and China are the largest populations in the world.
As far as Indians are in smarts the majority is of the lower cast and uneducated.
Either way, the tribles have no preditor and just breed. This little bus accident and ferry's overturning is just the Universe balancing itself.
This world is being over run by breeders with no common sense, no family planning, no education and medical science just keeps people alive instead of helping the human race. What's left? Wars and Disease.
I wonder high-voltage wires are not insulated ! I keep reading of people being horribly burned or killed just because they brushed against these wires. What lobby or clique ior guild is responsible for keeping insulation OFF high-voltage wires.
In 1888, NYC had a horrendous blizzard and countless wires were knocked down. after that, electrical wires were rerouted underground to prevent any further mess-ups like that. Time to re-route the high-tension lines worldwide the same way !
Someone please tell me this is from the Onion News!
Either way, I hope someone had some curry onboard because the smell of indian cooking is wonderfull.