The body of a British man visiting Chicago, who had been missing for three days, has been discovered on top of a decommissioned Metra Electric train in a rail yard. Authorities said Ademola Owolana came into contact with live wires above the train and was electrocuted, according to a Feb. 24, 2016 Chicago Tribune story, “After 3-day search, mom mourns death of son during visit from England.”
Details of the man’s death continue to unfold after his family last saw the 26-year-old Briton walking away from a club when his relatives discouraged him from driving on American streets for being too dangerous.
The train was not in service and did not have its pantographs, which unfold and connect to power lines above the tracks. But according to published reports, the power lines were still live (as is usually the case). Officials suspect Owolana made contact with the wires overhead, which channel 1,500 volts of direct current, and he was electrocuted.
It’s not yet known how Mr. Owolana got into the gated Metra rail yard, which is a heavy-equipment repair facility that’s closed to the public, where retired trains are temporarily stored until they are sold for scrap or otherwise disposed.
Questions are being raised about the club Mr. Owolana was attending, and whether it was operating and serving alcohol legally.
But are questions being raised about the train yard?
Could this electrocution have been prevented?
Was there appropriate security in place adequate to keep people, including trespassers away from the area, commensurate with the high degree of danger posed by high voltage exposed power lines?
Was the degree of risk to the public unreasonable, considering the foreseeable likelihood of people entering the property and the risk of exposed power lines that can cause electrocution and death?
From the published reports I’ve read, and looking at this from a lawyer’s perspective, there are many more questions and issues that arise than there are answers at this time. Were there prominently displayed safety warnings, compliant with ANSI Standards, and were the measures to prevent access sufficient and commensurate with the extreme risks posed by the power lines?
One thing is clear, and that is that the public as a general rule has no appreciation for how truly dangerous power lines can be. We have all watched cartoons, television shows, and movies that portray people being electrocuted in comical ways, and certainly not accurately portraying the horror and true danger.
Stay away and stay safe.
Related info:
Are electric utility companies putting safety first?
Are electrocution cases involving power lines considered negligence?
