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Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Live wire kills pa, 2 teen sons
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- Eager to get a clear reception for their brand new TV set, a teenager climbed up the roof of their house to fix the antenna. He got electrocuted, along with his father and younger brother who tried to help him.
Jun Montero Apas, 37, and his son Jonel, 18, died on the spot yesterday afternoon. Jeffrey, 16, was rushed to the Balamban District Hospital but did not make it alive.
Jun left behind five other children. His wife is expected to give birth this week.
Police Officer 2 Cesar Climaco of the Balamban Police Station said the Apas family has yet to fully pay for the television set.
The family lives in Barangay Sta. Cruz, about a kilometer away from the town proper in western Cebu.
Climaco told Sun.Star Cebu last night that Jonel had been on the roof fixing the antenna at 2:45 p.m. and was about to get down to see if the reception was clearer.
When his mother said it was still hazy, Jonel went back to make more adjustments.
Senior Inspector Anthony Bagarinao, Balamban police chief, said a main line had touched the roof of their neighbor's house, which is right next to the Apas' roof.
Both roofs are made of galvanized iron sheets.
Bagarinao said it had not been raining that afternoon. The roof was dry when Jonel was there.
"Ni-ground ang wire sa main line, dayong kirig sa bata (The main line got grounded, electrocuting the boy)," Bagarinao explained.
When the family heard something explode, Jun went out to see what happened.
Seeing Jonel twitching, he immediately went up to rescue him. But he was also electrocuted.
Neighbors noticed the commotion and quickly turned off their main switches, but this did not help as the power came from the line's transformer.
Jeffrey climbed the roof and fell on his first attempt.
This did not stop him. He continued until he reached the two.
But the electric current was too strong. They continued to twitch until they fell.
The electric shocks killed Jun and Jonel, but residents still managed to bring Jonel to the hospital.
Bagarinao said that all their mother could do was wail because neighbors stopped her from trying to help them.
Climaco, a neighbor of the Apas family, said they were all shocked with what happened.
Residents, including the barangay captain, have gathered at the Apas house to console their mother. (Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(September 21, 2005 issue)
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