Calamvale District Park: Girl electrocuted by fence while playing
A mum is demanding answers from council after her daughter suffered an electric shock over the long weekend by an installation she says never should have been allowed next to a kids’ play area.
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A Brisbane mum is demanding answers from council after her 10-year-old daughter suffered an electric shock while playing in a popular southside kids’ park.
The woman, who asked not to be named, and her daughter were playing at the Adventure Park within Calamvale District Park on Sunday when her daughter was zapped by an electric fence, located on private property adjoining the park, while trying to retrieve a ball.
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The electric fence, which belongs to a private residence which fronts Ormskirk St, runs for about 40m, beginning near the end of Moira Cres.
“I believe it is the property owners that have installed the fence but it should not be legal to install an electric fence bordering onto a children’s park,” the mother said.
“There are much more appropriate ways for people to protect their property, especially next to a very popular park.
“If it was on acreage or semirural then that’s entirely different.”
The mother said her daughter felt pain and tingling for hours afterwards but the voltage “would definitely hurt a younger child worse.”
She said at the very least more signs need to be placed on the fence warning it is live.
It currently contains four signs along its length warning it is live, although they are unevenly placed and there are long stretches where the risks aren’t obvious.
In addition to the signs, the fence is buffered somewhat on the park side by an additional chicken-wire fence placed about 30cm forward of the electric fence, a short distance still reachable by children.
A council spokesman said Brisbane City Council was “deeply concerned” by the incident.
“The property owner in question has agreed to move the electric fence further back behind the existing mesh barrier fence,” he said.
“This will provide a larger separation distance between the two fences.”
The spokesman said additional signs had also been installed.
He said residents are generally permitted to install electric fences provided safety requirements, including barriers or a setback to prevent people from inadvertently touching live wires, are met.
He said council was not aware of any other electric fences which abutted Brisbane parks.
Calamvale Ward Councillor Angela Owen said she was “pleased” the safety issue had now been resolved in a timely manner