Schoolgirl ‘paralysed’ by electric shock on George St outside light rail construction zone
SYDNEY’S troubled light rail project is being investigated after a schoolgirl nearly died from an “industrial strength” electric current which threw her to the ground as it surged through her at a construction zone on George St.
NSW
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SYDNEY’S troubled light rail project is being investigated after a schoolgirl nearly died when an “industrial strength” electric current surged through her as she walked next to a construction zone in wet socks.
The teen was knocked to the ground and paralysed by electricity surging through the wet footpath of the city street at 4.30pm on Sunday — and passers-by who tried to go to her aid were also zapped.
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Newtown High Year 10 student Anna Lambden, 15, was finally able to roll onto another part of the footpath on the corner of George and Ultimo streets at Haymarket, and lift her wet feet up to stop the electric shocks.
Paramedics took her to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where she was discharged Sunday night after being monitored for heart damage.
SafeWork NSW will begin investigating the incident this morning. The girl’s mother said light rail officials told her a “loose connection”, which had now been fixed, had caused the incident.
Altrac, the consortium behind the Light Rail project, said it was “unrelated” to them.
Transport NSW said it was their understanding a private contractor was undertaking works on behalf of the RMS, which yesterday confirmed it was investigating the incident.
The schoolgirl had been to lunch with friends and had removed her uncomfortable high heels and her socks became wet while walking.
While standing on a wet manhole, waiting for the traffic lights with a friend, she was suddenly hit with “unbearable pain”.
“I was just screaming, I didn’t know what had happened,” Anna told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
“I don’t remember falling. “One minute I was standing and the next on the (ground). I thought at first I was having a stroke.
“I felt pulses of electricity go through my whole body. I was shaking, my whole body, screaming, calling for help.”
Friend Lachlan Stanton, who also received a shock when Anna touched him as she fell, said no one knew what was happening: “She was just writhing in pain, it was terrible,” he said.
A worker at a nearby massage business just metres away heard the girl’s ear-piercing scream and rushed to see what was going on.
“I just see the girl on the floor … I heard her scream,” she said.
The girl’s mother, Viola Morris, said she was extremely upset by what had happened.
“I can’t believe it — it could have been catastrophic,” she said.
“How can this happen in Sydney — it’s not a third world country. The Premier needs to be accountable.
“The hospital said it was an industrial strength current, much more than you get in a household incident. “This shouldn’t happen to children walking around the city.”