GPL linesman hit by live wire, seriously injured

A Guyana Power and Light (GPL) worker, who sustained severe electrical burns after being struck by a live wire on the job, is currently battling for his life in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

Seon Scott called ‘Ganja’, 19, of Limlair Village, Corentyne, Berbice sustained the burns while working at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice.

Just before press time, the boy’s father Ronald Scott told Stabroek News that his son was still on a life support machine having sustained “three scorches to his brain.” He said that because of the scorches on the brain doctors are unable to operate.

Meanwhile, when this publication spoke to Minnelli Richardson, the teen’s mother, she related that on Thursday afternoon around 4 pm she received a telephone call from one of her son’s co-workers. The co-worker told her “Ganja fall down and them carrying he to Fort Wellington Hospital,” Richardson said adding that she enquired if it was serious “and he said no.”

Reassured that her son was not seriously injured, Richardson said, she went and bought chicken for her business. It was when she returned from buying the chicken that her husband told her a nurse from Fort Wellington Hospital called and said that their son was being transferred Georgetown Hospital.  Richardson added that she only learnt of her son’s burns when her husband told her.

In addition, the mother said that on Friday when she visited her son in the hospital he was unconscious. She said she did not get to see her son’s injuries but nurses told her that they were on his abdomen.

The family said a GPL official, who said he was investigating the incident had called and offered sympathy and told them that officials from GPL will pay them a visit.

This publication understands Scott is a linesman and he was about to “belt up” on the utility post a live wire hit him. He slid down the ladder and fell to the ground.

A source later said that the wire could have hit Scott after being bridged or if breeze had blown the wire. The source also stated that Scott was working on a normal 110 -220 secondary pole when the incident occurred.
Relatives stated that Scott has been working with GPL for over a year now.