Police warning after tradie death: Be alert for unlicensed electricians
POLICE believe a syndicate of unlicensed electricians could be linked to the death of a young tradie and a house fire in a neighbouring Sydney suburb.
NSW
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A SYNDICATE of unlicensed electricians could be linked to the death of a young tradie and a house fire in the neighbouring Sydney suburb, police suspect.
Detectives are so concerned the rogue sparkies could still be at work in Sydney — providing cheap wiring and un-metered access to the electrical grid — they have warned the public to licence-check tradespeople before hiring them.
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They suspect the work of the syndicate was linked to the death of 24-year-old carpenter Luke Bray, who was electrocuted while working in the roof of a Carlton home in February last year. Paramedics tried to revive Mr Bray but he died at the scene.
Neighbours were told mains power to the home had been cut as usual before Mr Bray started work.
However, it is believed illegal wiring kept electricity flowing to the site, without his knowledge.
“There was another wire coming into the house … poor young kid, and his workmates were devastated,” one resident told The Daily Telegraph.
Born and raised in Cairns and Mackay, Mr Bray had moved to Sydney and served in the Navy before the tragedy.
In a separate incident at neighbouring Bexley, firefighters arrived to find a single-level home engulfed by fire in September 2017.
St George police Detective Inspector Damian Henry said police wanted to stop members of the community employing unlicensed tradespeople.
“We’re warning people this is extremely risky behaviour, to have anybody who is not qualified interfere with the electricity grid,” Det Insp Henry said.