A 23-year-old man was electrocuted yesterday morning by an exposed wire at his Felicity workplace.

Jerry Alexander Smith

Jerry Alexander Smith of Lot 5 Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara was at his employer’s premises, a few villages away, when the incident occurred. Smith, sources have told this newspaper, was electrocuted while running a wire for an illegal connection.

The man’s grandmother, with whom he lived, had just been informed of his demise when Stabroek News visited Smith’s Vryheid’s Lust home shortly before noon. Smith’s grandmother said she’d last seen him before he left for work yesterday morning.

“I see him this morning [yesterday] before he go to work and I don’t know what happen to him…ask them,” she said pointing to Smith’s employer and another man who’d arrived minutes before with the devastating news.

The man, who was identified as the dead man’s employer, confirmed that Smith had been electrocuted that morning. Smith, he said, did odd jobs for them and was more than just a worker and friend. The incident, according to him, occurred at about 9 am.

Questioned about how the incident occurred and whether anyone had witnessed it the man refused to comment.

“He did all sorts of things…he was like a handyman of sorts…he was more than a friend,” was all the man would say.

Stabroek News learnt from a reliable source that Smith was reportedly setting up an illegal electrical connection. Smith, the source said, was not wearing any safety gear and was electrocuted when his hand came into contact with an exposed wire.

Smith, this newspaper understands, was on the upper storey of a building when the incident occurred.

After he sustained the electrical shock he fell, suffering additional injuries.

The man was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital shortly after the incident and died just before 11am yesterday. Smith’s employer, the source also said, reported the incident to the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) following his demise.

Several relatives were gathered at the man’s home yesterday afternoon as news of his death circulated. They stood in silence after Smith’s employer told them of his demise.

One relative indicated that they were all shocked and weren’t in a position to speak just yet.

“Right now everybody sitting here and we can’t believe that he’s dead…you know is just this morning he was alive…we will speak but we can’t do that right now and we don’t know yet is what really happened,” the relative said.

Police ranks were present at the Felicity business place when Stabroek News visited.