10,000-volt electric shock hits worker near Den Bosch shopping center
A man was injured on Friday morning while working on Tolbrugstraat in ’s‑Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch). The man had cut a cable, thinking it was from KPN, but it was a high-voltage power line, giving him a shock of around 10,000 volts.
People nearby gave the man first aid before he was urgently taken to a hospital for treatment. He sustained burns and additional injuries from the 10,000-volt shock. Bystanders took the victim to a nearby house, where they poured a bucket of water over his head to cool him down. Remarkably, he was alert and able to speak right after the shock, reporting his pain level as 7 to 8 out of 10.
Even though the man was alert, exposure to this voltage can result in serious internal injuries to muscles (rhabdomyolysis) and the kidneys. Cardiac arrhythmias may also develop within 24 hours following the shock.
The incident took place at approximately 11:45 a.m., near the exit of the Q-Park Arena parking garage, adjacent to the shopping center. A woman walking by heard a “dull thump” and noticed a brown smoke cloud. She discovered the man with burned skin, clearly showing the effects of the electric shock, according to Brabants Dagblad.
The accidental severing of the power cable led to a short power outage in central Den Bosch. It seems the cable was inadvertently cut, as it was mistaken for a telecommunications or data line.
The cable belongs to the medium-voltage network of Enexis. Unlike a typical 230-volt household socket, these lines carry up to 10,000 volts and feed transformer stations that supply electricity to whole residential areas and shopping districts. At first, responders thought there might be a gas leak, but that possibility was soon dismissed.
Because the incident is classified as a work accident, the Dutch Labour Inspectorate has begun an inquiry. They will check if the worker had the correct diagrams, was using appropriate personal protective gear (including insulating gloves), and whether the cable should have been made safe before work began.
