A 24-year-old mother of two was electrocuted around 2 pm yesterday while reconnecting her refrigerator.
Juliet Mohabir of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, who would have celebrated her third wedding anniversary today, met her demise after she tried to connect the refrigerator plug while her hands and a part of her clothing were wet.
After receiving the electrical shock she was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Mohabir’s sister-in-law, Premwattie “Delly” Sookdeo said that the fridge was unplugged to be cleaned and that two hours later Juliet, who was washing dishes decided to go and “plug it in.”
She said that they would normally take off the main switch before reconnecting the fridge but Mohabir did not want to go all the way upstairs to do so.
According to Sookdeo, she tried to stop Juliet from connecting the plug saying, “Girl, wait leh me see wah you doing; you can’t fit in the corner there to do it properly, you too fat Leh me plug it in.”
However, Mohabir insisted that she could handle it and seconds later she fell to the ground. Sookdeo said she also started to scream, “Run Delly, me gon dead, run and cut off the main switch.”
Juliet Mohabir with her husband, Looknauth Sookdeo shortly after they were married three years ago.
Mohabir’s mother-in-law, Kuntie “Zeena” Sookdeo said she was standing on the “landing when me hear them screaming and me run down to see what happen.” Kuntie, who was inconsolable when this newspaper visited, said that her daughter told her to take off the main switch but in the haste and her confused state she almost fell before she finally reached the switch.
Meanwhile, Premwattie said she lifted the injured woman out of the kitchen and started to “rub she up with methylated and limacol.”
She also tried to contact the woman’s husband, Looknauth Sookdeo, who works at Solid Gold Jewellery in the village, but his phone rang out. In tears, the husband told this newspaper that just after 2 pm two of his friends gave him the news that his wife got “shock.”
He hurried home on his bicycle and was hoping that it was nothing serious but when he got there he saw his wife lying on the ground. He immediately hired a bus and rushed her to the hospital.
He said he and his wife were looking forward to celebrating their wedding anniversary today but instead he is preparing for her funeral.
Today her parents, Karramchand and Narda, who reside next door, would have also been celebrating their birthdays but they too would be mourning on their special day.
The young mother is survived by her parents, siblings, husband and her daughter, Reshme who will be two years old tomorrow and her son Ganesh, who will celebrate his first birthday in December.
Premwattie and Kuntie lamented that Juliet was a nice and quiet person and said they got along well. They regretted that she met such a tragic end.
THANKS JOE FOR YOUR TIPS.
I AM MAKING THE BEST OF MY SECONG CHANCE. AMAZINGLY THE LAST WORD THA CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH WHILE I WAS GETTING SHOC WAS ‘O GODDDD’ & THA WAS IT.. UNCONSCIOUS! WHILE I WAS GETTING SHOCK I SAW MY PAST INFRONT OF ME… FROM SINCE I WAS SMALL THRU THE LAST MOMENT THA I HAS ICE CREAM BEFORE I WENT UP ON THE SHED TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANTENNAE & THAT WAS WHEN I SAID ‘O GODDD’ HE REALLY GAVE ME A 2ND SHANCE.. MY TIME WASNT READY… IT WAS A LIFE ATRER DEATH EXPERIENCE… I SAW MY BODY LYING ON THE SHED & I SAW MY LEFT BIG TOE SMOKING.. MY LIFE HAD ALREADY LEFT MY BODY… ITS TOO LONG TO EXPLAIN… BUT WAS A REALLY REALLY GREAT EXP.
Tragedies like this make me wonder what kind of quacks are wiring homes in Guyana these days. If electrical circuits are installed properly with proper materials, the risk of fire and electrocution are minimised and very rare. I have my suspicions about sub-standard electrical materials like cables, fasteners, outlets, load centers, etc that are not UL rated or maybe just plain wrong for the job. I have even greater suspicions about just how knowledgeable those clowns are who go about Guyana representing themselves as “electricians” when they don’t even know the basics of electrical installation. The choice of electric materials is always determined by the intended demand or possible “load” they would handle. It’s so heartbreaking to see good decent people victimized by quacks and charlatans.
To SandHurstFirst and all on this blog who thought that my ’shame on you’ comments were a bit harsh, I apologize. I have grown to know many of you through this blog and regard you as family. Regardless of what I write, it is never my intent to upset anyone.
SandHurst First please do not allow this incident to prevent you from being a major part of this blog.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Richard…..its kool buddy, i accept you apology….no hard feelings my friend.
I know it’s her time to go and may God have mercy on her soul and watch over her babies. In a situation like this can CPR revive a person if they stop breathing? Come on Stabroek News run a few columns on how to perform CPR and other life saving tips for the Guyanese people.
Such a tragic story, my thoughts and prayers go out to this young woman’s family and friends.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this young woman, God rest her soul.
CPR could have help only if they had known to perform it .A person with electric shock does not need limacol and methylated to rub them down.,that would cause her death instantly.Just imagine electricity running through your body,your blood is trying up,your body getting cold and on top of that methylated rubbing on you-cardiac arrest.Know your first aid,check your ABC’s-cardiopulmonary resusitation is important.So sad,my heartfelt sympathy to all relatives and friends of the deceased,especially to her parents whom i have known for years.May her soul rest in peace.