While playing under christmas tree: Boy electrocuted at town plaza

CEBU, Philippines – A nine-year-old boy has been electrocuted while playing under a Christmas tree at the public plaza of Ronda, Cebu Thursday night.

The victim was identified as Kevin Gimena, an elementary pupil of Canduling Elementary School, in the town’s Barangay Canduling.

According to Police Officer 2 Virgilio Villamor, desk officer of Ronda police, at around 10 p.m. last Thursday, Gimena was with his friends caroling around the neighborhood.

After caroling, Gimena and his companions then went to the nearby plaza to play.

Villamor said there are Christmas trees decorated by the local government at the open park of the town as part of its holiday celebration.

He said Gimena, who was seen playing underneath a Christmas tree full of Christmas lights, suddenly slumped on the ground.

The people who saw the incident immediately brought the boy to the Rural Health Unit of the municipality where he was declared dead on arrival.

Villamor said it was drizzling during that time, suspecting that Gimena must have accidentally touched a live wire.

“Basin og nagkuot-kuot ni sa ilawom unya nahawiran niya ang live-wire o socket mao tong perting kuryenteha,” said Villamor. — Ma. Fatima R. Secuya/LPM (FREEMAN)